The origins of cartography are remote.
First of all, what we are going to do is proceed to determine the etymological origin of the term cartography . By doing so we will discover that it emanates from Latin and more specifically from the sum of these elements: the word charta , which can be translated as "map", and the suffix - graphy , which comes from the Greek word graphein which meant "to write".
Cartography is the science that is responsible for drawing and studying geographic maps . Its origins are very ancient, although they cannot be precisely specified since the definition of a map has changed over the years.
Origins of cartography
Different wall paintings and engravings dating back several millennia before Christ are considered the first maps and, therefore, the first testimonies of cartography. The Greeks, Romans, Chinese, Arabs and Indians were some of the civilizations that developed maps in ancient times.
Specifically, a mural painting that has been called "The Admiral's House" has been established as the first cartography. This is characterized by having been carried out within a community that lived in a coastal area during the year 1,600 BC.
However, throughout history there have been many other cartographic examples that were important at the time and that today are considered true gems:
• Map of the ancient Sumerian city of Nippur, which, according to studies carried out, would belong to the period between the 16th and 12th centuries BC
• Chinese maps made of silk and that had been made in the 2nd century BC. These were discovered thanks to excavations carried out in the 1970s in the Mawangdui area.
• Ancient cartographies carried out in India, which stand out for the fact that various constellations appeared in them, including the Polar Bear.
• Tabula Rogeriana. This is a set of cartographies undertaken by the Arab Muhammad al-Idrisi, in the year 1154, and which focus on places such as Africa and the Indian Ocean area.
Mapping helps plan trips.
The evolution of maps
The first maps were flat charts (latitudes were represented with a constant scale as if the Earth were flat). The invention of devices such as the compass and quadrant contributed to the creation of more accurate maps.
Technology has always played a very important role in the advancement of cartography. From the telescope to scanners, satellites and computers, numerous inventions helped improve mapping and analysis.
Types of cartography
Cartography can be divided into two main types: general cartography and thematic cartography . General cartography is responsible for the production of maps aimed at the broadest public, with various references. A world map or the map of a country are examples of general cartography.
Thematic cartography, on the other hand, specializes in maps of specific topics, such as soybean crops in the province of Buenos Aires or neighborhoods where the Latino population predominates in New York.
Another distinction can be made between topographic maps (which reflect the elevation of the terrain) and topological maps (simplified maps that do not focus on geographic or scale details, but on the information they disseminate).