2 options
The phantom atlas : the greatest myths, lies and blunders on maps / Edward Brooke-Hitching.
Kislak Center for Special Collections - Reference Collection GA108.7 .B76 2016
Available in person
Request an item
Access options
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Brooke-Hitching, Edward, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Maps--Miscellanea.
- Maps.
- Geographical myths--Maps.
- Geographical myths.
- Cartography--History.
- Cartography.
- History.
- Errors, Scientific.
- Discoveries in geography.
- Miscellanea.
- Genre:
- Maps.
- Physical Description:
- 256 pages : illustrations (some color), maps (some color) ; 26 cm
- Place of Publication:
- London ; New York : Simon & Schuster, MMXVI.
- Summary:
- The Phantom Atlas is an atlas of the world not as it ever existed, but as it was thought to be. These marvellous and mysterious phantoms, non-existent islands, invented mountain ranges, mythical civilisations and other fictitious geography - were all at various times presented as facts on maps and atlases. This book is a collection of striking antique maps that display the most erroneous cartography, with each illustration accompanied by the story behind it. Exploration, map-making and mythology are all brought together to create a colourful tapestry of monsters, heroes and volcanoes; swindlers, mirages and murderers. Sometimes the stories are almost impossible to believe, and remarkably, some of the errors were still on display in maps published in the 21st century. Throughout much of the 19th century more than 40 different mapmakers included the Mountains of Kong, a huge range of peaks stretching across the entire continent of Africa, in their maps - but it was only in 1889 when Louis Gustave Binger revealed the whole thing to be a fake. For centuries, explorers who headed to Patagonia returned with tales of the giants they had met who lived there, some nine feet tall.
- Contents:
- Strait of Anian 12
- Antillia 18
- Atlantis 24
- Aurora Islands 30
- Australia's Inland Sea 34
- Bermeja 38
- Bradley Land 42
- Buss Island 46
- City of the Caesars 50
- Sea Monsters of the Carta Marina 54
- Island of California 64
- Cassiterides 68
- Crocker Land 70
- Croker's Mountains 76
- Davis Land 80
- Isle of Demons 84
- Dougherty Island 88
- Earthly Paradise 92
- El Dorado 98
- Flat Earth 102
- Fonseca 106
- Formosa (of George Psaimanazar) 110
- Fusang 114
- Gamaland and Compagnies Land 118
- Great Ireland 122
- Great River of the West 124
- Groclant 128
- Hy Brasil 130
- Java La Grande 134
- Juan de Lisboa 140
- Lost City of the Kalahari 142
- Mountains of Kong 146
- Korea as an Island 150
- Lost Continents of Lemuria and Mu 152
- Maria Theresa Reef 156
- Mayda 158
- Mountains of the Moon 162
- Lands of Benjamin Morrell 166
- Norumbega 170
- Creatures of the Nuremberg Chronicle Map 174
- Patagonian Giants 182
- Pepys Island 186
- Territory of Poyais 190
- Kingdom of Prester John 194
- Rhipaean Mountains 198
- Rupes Nigra 200
- St Brendan's Island 202
- Sandy Island, New Caledonia 206
- Sannikov Land 208
- Satanazes 210
- Saxenburgh Island 212
- Sea of the West 216
- Taprobana 220
- Terra Australis 224
- Thule 230
- Sunken City of Vineta 234
- Wak-Wak 238
- Phantom Lands of the Zeno Map 240.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 246-247) and index.
- ISBN:
- 9781471159459
- 1471159450
- OCLC:
- 949911233
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.