The World
Until the 15th century the world map was largely based on the classical ideas of Ptolemy and the medieval TO concept of the 3 large ‘old’ continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. During the Age of great Discoveries (15th to 17th century) the world map would rapidly change.
As already mentioned, the only source for cartographers was oral and written information from merchants, seamen, explorers etc. For example on Martin Behaim’s globe (1492), the “New World” was not yet included, simply because Columbus returned to Spain no sooner than March 1493. Martin Waldseemuller’s large world map (1507) was the first printed map mentioning the name Americas. This famous map was still based on Ptolemy’s ideas. In 1516 he produced a new version entitled the Carta Marina, which was based on new explorations and more scientific nautical observations.
In those days it was common practice to copy (redraw) the maps of colleagues from other countries. E.g. until the 16th century a large southern continent, “The Southern Land Not Yet Known", occurred on world maps of Mercator, Ortelius and other established cartographers. It was based on the generally accepted idea that there should be an equal distribution of land and sea masses on the globe.
On Blaeu’s large world map (1648 onwards) the Great Southland had disappeared and the shape of Nova Hollandia (now Australia) was further refined. Thanks to the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, who had sailed around the south coast of Australia and discovered parts of New Zealand in 1642. At the end of the 18th century, mapping of the Pacific further improved due to the 3 voyages of Captain James Cook.
In the 19th century the first world maps appeared on which the true size and shape of the Antarctic was drawn more accurately.
