Kangnido Map ... Wow!
If you go any time to Wikipedia's Main Page, you will find a link to Newest Articles. Today there's a beaut: the Kangnido Map. Maybe you've heard of it; I hadn't.
From the article I learned that this map was stitched together from two maps dated circa 1330 and 1370 respectively, which is a long time before the West's Age of Exploration. The article states:
"The map depicts in great detail the Empire of China, as well as Korea and Japan, although relative sizes and positions are not exactly preserved. China and Korea are oversized, and Southeast Asia (with its protruding peninsula and profusion of islands) as well as India are rounded up into the global landmass.
"In the West, the Arabian peninsula, Africa and Europe are quite clearly delineated, although the continents are shown smaller than their actual size. In particular, the Mediterranean is clearly depicted, as well as the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the Adriatic. There are over 100 names for the European countries alone, including 'Alumangia' for the Latin word Alemania (Germany).
"The knowledge of the actual contour of Africa indicates early explorations of the area, clearly predating the European explorations of Vasco da Gama. In particular, the southern tip of Africa is quite clearly depicted, as well as a river which may correspond to the Orange River in Southern Africa. To the north of the African continent, beyond the unexplored 'black' central mass, a pagoda is represented for the lighthouse of Alexandria, and the Arab word 'Misr' for Egypt is transliterated in Chinese."
Read on
Compare with a 1466 European map
More
If you go any time to Wikipedia's Main Page, you will find a link to Newest Articles. Today there's a beaut: the Kangnido Map. Maybe you've heard of it; I hadn't.
From the article I learned that this map was stitched together from two maps dated circa 1330 and 1370 respectively, which is a long time before the West's Age of Exploration. The article states:
"The map depicts in great detail the Empire of China, as well as Korea and Japan, although relative sizes and positions are not exactly preserved. China and Korea are oversized, and Southeast Asia (with its protruding peninsula and profusion of islands) as well as India are rounded up into the global landmass.
"In the West, the Arabian peninsula, Africa and Europe are quite clearly delineated, although the continents are shown smaller than their actual size. In particular, the Mediterranean is clearly depicted, as well as the Iberian and Italian peninsulas and the Adriatic. There are over 100 names for the European countries alone, including 'Alumangia' for the Latin word Alemania (Germany).
"The knowledge of the actual contour of Africa indicates early explorations of the area, clearly predating the European explorations of Vasco da Gama. In particular, the southern tip of Africa is quite clearly depicted, as well as a river which may correspond to the Orange River in Southern Africa. To the north of the African continent, beyond the unexplored 'black' central mass, a pagoda is represented for the lighthouse of Alexandria, and the Arab word 'Misr' for Egypt is transliterated in Chinese."
Read on
Compare with a 1466 European map
More
Pip Wilson posted item above at 6:23 PM | Permalink
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