Maps are complex, multi-faceted documents. They do not just describe the world as it is, but the imaginary, political and social structures of the people who created and used them. Today we might think of maps as utilitarian objects – illustrations that allow for easy navigation of a given space – but for peoples of the past, maps were a way of describing so much more. They did not always present the world as it was, but they did capture the way it was perceived.
Real and imaginary spaces often sit side by side. For instance, the mythical island of Brasil which, according to Irish folklore, would appear once every 7 years, was made real in the imaginations of countless people thanks to its inclusion on dozens of maps dating from the medieval period. The fact that this island was not real is almost immaterial – its inclusion on so many maps reflected layers of belief, politics and hope that existed beyond the literal truth of geography.
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