Maps of Asia
This section contains a growing collection of Maps of Asia; including China, Japan and India. The Maps of Asia available can provide an interesting and valuable resource into peoples lives and heritage.
The Catalan map, drawn on skin and produced in 1375 by Spanish navigators with information from missionaries and Marco Polo's travels gave us our first view of the size and shape of Asia.
Maps of Asia - This months featured items
Maps of Asia
Ptolomy
Ptolomy's Atlas contained 12 maps of Asia copied and improved on by Waldsemuller in 1513. As travel increased, so the maps of Asia improved and gradually countries, especially the Indian sub continent and the Indies took recognizable shape. An 18 sheet map of China was made by P’ei Hsui in the 1st century AD.
Jesuits
With Marco Polo's travels and information from the Franciscan missionaries other maps were produced. Later the Jesuits influenced Far Eastern map making and father Matteo Ricci compiled the first European map of the world which was printed in China. Another missionary, father Martino Martini compiled the first European atlas of China.
Jesuits were also responsible for producing the first accurate maps of Japan. The map by Teixeira 1592 was published by Ortelius and provided the basis for other mapmakers in the years to follow.
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