TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH: How the Greatest Maps Were Made

Who doesn't love maps, especially hand drawn and early maps and globes from the great travellers and adventurers of history as they piece together and understood our world? This lavishly illustrated book provides a unique insight into the evolution of mapmaking and the science behind it, from the stone age to the digital age, exploring key cartographers and mapmaking methods, deliberate mistakes and superlative maps. The evolving methods of surveying began from the Roman groma, through the naval instruments of the magnetic compass, astrolabes and sextants, to the 20th century revolution of aerial photography. Philip Parker examines the key components of a map, longitude and latitude, the origins of having north at the top and the various projections used to represent the Earth. With visually stunning historic maps and antique instruments, over 200 colour photos, interludes on places that weren't really there and the contributions from Ptolemy onwards, we venture on an historical journey of gathering information, the purpose of maps, globes and spheres, materials for drawing them and components and the many purposes to which maps have been put. Drawing tools and materials evolved from Babylonian maps carved in clay to digital maps created via touchscreen, maps on pottery and parchment, carved in stone or on marble sculptures, and now everyone can easily summon a map wherever they go on their smartphone. 200 colour illus., 240 magnificent pages 21 x 26.4cm.
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