Ode To Oceanography: An Antique Nautical Chart Of The Bermuda Islands
This article is the fourteenth article in our Ode To Oceanography series. This series will publish on the 15th of every month, until we run out of antique nautical maps to analyze, though that will not be for many decades. Once that happens, we will keep the series running, but we will change the article format. In these articles, will take an antique nautical map & analyze it in its entirety. These maps will not strictly be on open oceanic waters, they may be on rivers or occasionally, bays. We will also discuss the methods that may have been used to make the map, considering the time period, & the country of origin. These maps will come from a variety of sources, though they will mainly come from Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. These maps will come from varying time periods, & will not be in any particular historical order. Today’s map, is an antique map of the Bermuda Islands. The Bermuda Islands are a small group of islands in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, governed by the United Kingdom. Bermuda is located approximately 1,051 miles off the coast of Florida. The total territory is approximately 20.6 square miles (53.35376 square kilometers). The chart that we are examining is in wonderful condition, with details being clear & precise, & the paper having very few blemishes. There are a few small yellowed spots near the bottom of the map, & a slight curling at the bottom of the chart, however it does not have any affect on the quality of the map itself. The chart is approximately 30 inches (76.2 centimeters) long, & 40.5 inches (102.87 centimeters) wide. In this article we will discuss the map itself, the translation of certain sections of the map, & a surface level analysis on this antique nautical map. With that being said let us delve into the isles of Bermuda.
The Chart Itself
Due to the chart being in English, there is no need for any translation. The chart is centered on Bermuda, & its surrounding isles. The chart is uncoloured. The chart has the names of a few settlements on the isle, as well as the safe sea routes between the isles. This chart does label multiple oceanic depths, & oceanic points of interest.
An Analysis Of The Chart
This chart was created in 1877 by the United States Hydrographic Office as a part of a survey. As it was made in collaboration with the Navy, it was likely used for Military Research. Additionally, the map has six compasses on it, 4 of which point to magnetic north. This would have been useful in guiding the viewer as to what true north & magnetic north were while sailing. The chart does not have any of the topographical features of Bermuda Outlined on it. It is extremely accurate & detailed, with almost all of the islands around Bermuda being labelled properly. This map was most certainly made via the lithographic process, due to its maker, & the time period that it was manufactured in. In the lithographic method, the artist will draw directly onto a printing surface, such as zinc, or copper, until they are satisfied with the drawing. After this, the surface will be covered with a chemical etch, which will bond it to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate & repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to help prevent the ink from deviating. After the map wanted is inked, the paper is laid over it & covered with a tympan, & the tympan is pressed down. Finally, these materials pass through the scraper bar of the litho-press. Afterwards, an exact copy of whatever was supposed to be printed is revealed.
Directories / Credits
All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Maps Of Antiquity, a wonderful New England map shop. To purchase this map, any other maps, or any other cartographic objects, please visit mapsofantiquity.com. To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Maps Of Antiquity, as we do not have a partnership with them.
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