Funny Nature & Travel Art & Stage Going Viral Science Greetings Inspirational

Edit Profile Recently Viewed Favorites

Main > Nature & Travel > Travel

These Old Maps Show a World We Never Knew Existed

Edited By: Bhavesh B.

Font Size:

A+ A-

Remember unfolding paper maps on road trips or spinning a classroom globe until the teacher made you stop? Maps always held something magical for those of us who love geography. The oldest maps tell us something profound about how our ancestors understood their world. Some placed their capitals at the center, others filled unknown areas with sea monsters, and many got things surprisingly right despite limited tools.

Some are full of mistakes, others feel eerily accurate. But each one says something about how humans made sense of the unknown. If you enjoy history, geography, or just looking at things drawn with care and curiosity, you’ll want to check out these fascinating maps from the past.

Click on images to enlarge

1. Map of the ancient continents, 1719

2. Nautical atlas of the world, circular world map of the Portuguese hemisphere, 1519

3. Ptolemy's world map, designed in 150 AD. For the first time in history, longitudinal and latitudinal lines were added to a world map

4. A map of the celestial globe with comet, 1618

5. The largest medieval map (Hereford Mappa Mundi), 13th century

6. Map of Europe in the form of a queen, engraving and letterpress, 1587

7. World map, 1700

8. Cadastral map showing land ownership in Fushimi, Kyoto, Japan, 1595

9. Map and views illustrating Sir Francis Drake's West Indian Voyage, Santiago, 1586

10. Cosmographical map or universal description of the world with the actual path of the winds, 1570

Related: These Maps Explain the World in Fascinating Ways

11. Description of the Holy Land, 1585

12. Samuel Dunn's map of the world, drawn in 1794 AD. Dunn was the first to present a comprehensive depiction of the globe, utilizing the discoveries made by Captain James Cook as his primary reference

13. Map of the Americas, 1553

14. The Psalter World Map, drawn by an unknown medieval monk in 1260 AD. Maps from this period usually place the east at the top of the globe, symbolizing where the sun rises and where Jesus watches over the world

15. Map of the ancient Roman world from their perspective

16. The Bunting Clover Leaf Map, created by Heinrich Bunting in Germany in 1581, is a Christian map that reflects a religious perspective of the world. This map illustrates the world as an extension of the Christian Trinity, with Jerusalem at its center, serving as the focal point that unites everything.

All images: Izismile

Like Next Post Send Share WhatsApp

Copy Link

Did you mean:

Continue With: Facebook Google

By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Report copyright infringement

Print this content

You may also like:

Baba Recommends

A 4,500-Year-Old Civilization That Was Almost Forgotten

17:55

Was This The Earliest Urban Civilization in Human History?

Find out the secrets of one of the earliest urban civilizations in human history.

Baba Recommends

5 Ancient Civilizations and Their Clothing

A Fascinating History of Clothing in the Ancient World

Ever wondered what fashion was like in the ancient world?

Baba Recommends

17:38

Ancient Greece: A Quick and Fascinating Overview

Want to learn everything about ancient Greece without having to read a book? Here's a quick crash course on the fascinating subject.

Design & Photography

14 Charming Artistic Depictions of Ancient Egyptian Life

What Daily Life in Ancient Egypt Really Looked Like

Here are 14 artistic depictions that offer a glimpse into what life was like in ancient Egypt.

Baba Recommends

The Fascinating Origins and History of Ice Cream

4:55

Flashback: Unfreezing Ice Cream's Delicious Origins

Did you know that even ancient civilizations had ice cream?

Baba Recommends

The Kingdom of Kush: The Ancient World's Most Mysterious Civilization

4:35

Uncovering the Mystery of the Lost Kingdom of Kush

The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient civilization, the origins of which remain unknown to the best of historians.

Cute overload

3:29

Cats and Dominos: A Purrfect Match!

They say patience is a virtue, but nobody told the cat! After hours of painstakingly lining up this massive domino run, we handed control over to the true master of chaos.

Health

Tired But Can't Sleep? These May Be the Reasons

Why Am I So Tired But Still Can't Sleep?

Some days, no matter how much coffee you consume, you may feel exhausted during the day. Yet all too often, when you finally climb into bed, you find yourself wide awake. Sound familiar?

Send Comment

Related Topics: historical photos, maps, history facts, ancient history, ancient world, ancient civilizations, maps and charts

Quizzes

Which Shade of Pink Matches You Perfectly?

We will ask you 12 questions about your life and inner world. You should answer honestly, and at the end of the test it will be revealed what the meaning of the shade of pink that best suits your character is.

Are Your Eyes Ready for a Visual Challenge?

Prepare to engage your visual intelligence - where observation meets deduction, and fragmented pieces reveal hidden truths. Good luck with this distinctive cognitive challenge!

Ink Stain Rorschach Test

With the help of the following personality test, we will help you uncover this force using the principles of one of the most famous psychological tools in the world - the Rorschach inkblot test.