ancient maps
Old world atlases
Ancient maps are historical cartographic documents from earlier civilizations, valued for showing how people understood geography before modern surveying.
They reveal as much about worldview as about actual terrain—medieval maps might place Jerusalem at center, or mark unexplored regions with here be dragons.
Collectors and historians study ancient maps for their artistic qualities and the assumptions they encode about the known world.
- portolan chartsMedieval coastal navigation maps
- compass roseCartographic direction indicator
- compass rosesNavigational direction indicators
- cartographyCreating geographic representations
- terra incognitaUnexplored or unknown region
here be dragons · trade routes · latitude lines · sea monsters · territories · treasure map · celestial spheres · Ptolemy · vellum · mythical creatures · uncharted waters · parchment scrolls · printing presses · mapmaking · sea routes · Age of Exploration · New World · Old World
- Japan mapssea charts, city plans
- Roman Surveyingdecumanus, cadastre, land division, libra, limes
- ancient worldpyramids, pyramid, Athens, Sparta, Zeus
- mapsroad map, world map, atlases, street map, regional map
- treasuresjewels, gems, gold coins, crown jewel, artifacts
- cartographyworld map, atlas, globes, cartographers, navigation chart
ancient mapssatellite imagery
Earth views from orbit
GPS navigation · digital mapping · Google Maps · GPS mapping · interactive maps