Ode To Oceanography: An Antique Nautical Map Of The Mediterranean Sea
This article is the third instalment in the 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 up for analysis, is one of the first ever marine surveys ever taken of the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean measures at approximately 965,300 square miles (2,500,115.52 square kilometers), which is a lot of area to encompass. It showcases the northern areas of Africa, & the Black sea. This map is a genuine, Heather, Mediterranean map. This map is in extraordinary condition, aside from the paper being slightly yellowed by time. 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 Mediterranean Sea.
The Antique Map Itself
This map is in English, so there is no need for translation into English. We unfortunately, are unable to translate this into any other European language, unless we forego complete accuracy. This map has an incredible accuracy, even compared to modern day charts. There are very few islands left off off of this, & the coastline is very accurate. All countries directly bordering the Mediterranean, are extremely clearly labelled. This map is uncoloured, most likely to cut down on production time. Overall, this chart is pristine.
A Surface Level Analysis Of The Map
This map was made in the year 1812, but was revised in 1818. It is unknown where exactly this map was found, or who was the original owner of it. This map was originally made by William Heather, a British nautical cartographer, but it was revised by John William Norie, a British hydrographer. This map was not made for military purposes, & was not used for such purposes either. The map unfortunately has no legends, or areas with marine creatures outlined on it. This chart does not have a specific name. This map does not have any topographical feautures outlined on the map. Though we cannot for certain say which technique this was made with, the most likely method is the engraving method, which was the most common & traditional at the time. In this technique, there are 5 jobs, the mapmaker, the engraver, the printer, the papermaker, & the colourist. The first step in this process is that the mapmaker will go out & make a hand-drawn map of the area where the map will encompass. Effectively, the mapmaker is the informant who makes the first copy. After this, the engraver will create a design of the map in reverse on a metal, usually copper, surface. Usually there would only be 1-2 plates used, however it differs depending on the size of the map. After the copper plate is made, the printer will heat the copper panel, & then proceed to lather it with ink. They will then wipe the copper panel down to the point where ink is only on the grooves of the panel. Then after this, the printer will press damp paper onto the ink, & hang it up to dry. To conclude, the colourist will touch up the map & decorate it by adding in details, such as shorelines & shoals.
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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