Re: Waldseemuller map & Pacific Ocean

On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 09:17:56 +1300, in sci.archaeology, Eric Stevens
wrote:

On Sun, 29 Oct 2006 23:32:58 +1300, benlizross <benlizro@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Eric Stevens wrote:

On 28 Oct 2006 00:03:03 -0700, mike4ty4@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

Hi.

Why all the shock and awe about the famous Waldseemuller Map showing
the Pacific Ocean before Balboa "discovered" it? One does not need too
much of a brain to put this together:

1. Europe had traded with the Far East for a long time, this is what
prompted Christopher Columbus to set sail for China across the Atlantic
Ocean (the land and other routes were cut off.). Ever heard of the
famous "Silk Road"? Marco Polo's trips took him along the oceans off
Asia, and that was ~400 years B.B. (Before Balboa.)

2. From all that experience, they would have known that there was an
ocean off the east coast of Asia, I mean, how could they possibly miss
it? You go to China, which is right there on the coast! If they didn't
know there was ocean there, then why would Columbus think he could
reach China by sailing west?

3. When the Americas were discovered, then it would be simple to reason
that the ocean would have to resume at some point due to one's seeing
it off Asia, so hence Waldseemuller draws it on his map!

Doesn't that make some sense? They would have reasoned it. It was a
very good, but not very difficult, guess they made.

That explanation 'might' be good enough for the Waldseemuller map of
1507 but it completely fails to explain the apparently reasonably
accurate reproduction of the coast of Peru in Albertin De Virga's
World Map 0f 1414.

Eric Stevens

Help us out a bit here, Eric. The only sites I can find discussing this
map give reproductions that look like Happy Meal placemats, and cite
such eminent authorities as Gavin Menzies and Helena Petrovna Blavatsky.
Can you give us something that has a legible copy of the map and at
least aims for some kind of scientific credibility?

Unfortunately, I can't manage both. :-)

My best source is 'The Friar's Map' by Gunnar Thompson. Unfortunately
Thompson has redrawn all the maps for his book so the only way you can
follow up his idea is to go and find a copy of the De Virga map and a
map of the coast of Peru. Then you have to make up your own mind.

I would be happy to post a copy if someone could recommend a
photosharing site that is not dripping with unwanted bells and
whistle.

And I'm afraid I don't know of a decent copy of the map either. :-)

Doug
--
Doug Weller --
A Director and Moderator of The Hall of Ma'at http://www.hallofmaat.com
Doug's Archaeology Site: http://www.ramtops.co.uk
Amun - co-owner/co-moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Amun/

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Waldseemuller map & Pacific Ocean
    ... Why all the shock and awe about the famous Waldseemuller Map showing ... the Pacific Ocean before Balboa "discovered" it? ... Ocean. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Waldseemuller map & Pacific Ocean
    ... Why all the shock and awe about the famous Waldseemuller Map showing ... Ocean. ... which is right there on the coast! ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Waldseemuller map & Pacific Ocean
    ... Why all the shock and awe about the famous Waldseemuller Map showing ... the Pacific Ocean before Balboa "discovered" it? ... Ocean. ... You go to China, which is right there on the coast! ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Waldseemuller map & Pacific Ocean
    ... Eric Stevens wrote: ... Why all the shock and awe about the famous Waldseemuller Map showing ... Ocean. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Waldseemuller map & Pacific Ocean
    ... Why all the shock and awe about the famous Waldseemuller Map showing ... the Pacific Ocean before Balboa "discovered" it? ... Ocean. ...
    (sci.archaeology)