This is a Ptolemaic map drawn by someone in 1300 based on Ptolemy's

File: math14[1].jpg (336KB, 1411x993px) Image search: [Google]

336KB, 1411x993px

>>1701041
Ptolemy included coordinates for all the places he covered, and directions on the shapes of coastlines. This is what a Latin translation of the Geographia looks like.

>>1701041
is that south america in the bottom right?

>>1701041
>How does one create a map based on writings?
Geometry. If city A is 100 km from city B and 50km from city C, and city B is 70km from city C, there are exactly two places city C can be relative to A and B. This drops to one places once you include more details, like the general direction or another reference point. Capturing precise details is obviously harder, but not impossible if the said details are present in the writings.

>>1701122
>map from 1300
Yeah, sure

>>1701041
Who cares about accuracy? It is 1300.

>>1701122
At the time they thought the indian ocean was enclosed similar to the mediterranean with yet undiscovert costs.

Ptolemy listed all coordinates of major cities, what medieval cartographers did was place these points on a plot and then play connect the dots with coastal cities to draw the shapes of landmass

>>1701041
>Isn't it very likely that this is nothing like Ptolemy's original world map?

So it's just a coincidence that it corresponds so well to modern maps?

>>1701406
Wouldn't they have at least known the shape of Scotland in 1300? It's all fuck ed up

>>1701414

It's fine it just goes east instead of north. And yes probably by then there were pretty good maps of Scotland, but not of Arabia and the Horn of Africa

>>1701419
I suppose without ever seeing a modern map of it, and even sailing around it, it would be difficult to really picture the landmass in its entirety. The geometry shit is neat tho

What I find fascinating is the lack of ancient globes. The Greeks knew the world is a ball and they knew how big it is. Yet there don't seem to be any examples of models, with the known world drawn on in appropriate scale.

>>1701245
When was it realised that the Indian and Atlantic Oceans were connected? I imagine the Portuguese wouldn't have rounded Africa unless they knew it could be done.

>>1701492

They didn't know it could be done until they did it, but they didn't necessarily think it couldn't be done, either. They were looking for a possible route, in much the same way other explorers looked for the Northwest Passage (which turned out NOT to be possible).