Gerhard Mercator's maps as a source of geographical knowledge about Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and surrounding countries in the 16th century
The author considers the issue of the conceptualization of the geographical space that is known today as the Western Balkans on Gerhard Mercator's maps from the second half of the 16th century, from which, even in cases of incorrect cartographic representations, it is possible to concl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Serbian Geographical Society
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Glasnik Srpskog Geografskog Društva |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-3593/2022/0350-35932202001G.pdf |
| Summary: | The author considers the issue of the conceptualization of the geographical
space that is known today as the Western Balkans on Gerhard Mercator's maps
from the second half of the 16th century, from which, even in cases of
incorrect cartographic representations, it is possible to conclude about the
changes of certain geographical objects and phenomena in the past time. Two
Mercator maps were analysed: Sclavonia, Croatia, Bosnia cum Dalmatiae parte,
and Walachia, Servia, Bvlgaria, Romania, both from 1589. The
characteristics, symbols and context of Mercator's cartographic
representations of relief, hydrography, settlements and other geographical
phenomena are discussed. Special attention was paid to the cartographic
registration of river courses and settlements. The distortion of surfaces
and wrong representations in the positioning of some geographical objects
were pointed out, which should be taken into account when identifying
individual toponyms on Mercator's maps. The author tries to reconstruct the
meaning of toponyms and determine the deviations of the cartographic
perception from the actual distribution of the elements of the geographical
space, as well as the causes that caused these deviations. The author also
gives an overview of toponyms in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and
surrounding countries and identifies their modern meaning. The study of
Mercator's maps is of interest today for researchers of the historical
geography of the network of settlements and toponymy of the Balkan countries
in the 15th and 16th century. |
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| ISSN: | 0350-3593 2406-078X |