Old Sea Monster Maps

Old Sea Monster Maps. Old Map Sea Monster Sailing Ship Africa Madagascar Photograph by Colin Chet Van Duzer's "Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps" (British Library, 2013) depict a range of 'sea monsters' which cartographers used to illustrate mysterious, unexplored regions of the globe and the possible dangers of seafaring When looking at these monsters, it kind of makes me long for a mysterious world still populated by these legends.

Old maps with marine monsters, sea serpents and sea dragons These monsters served as decoration or referred to famous myths

Old maps with marine monsters, sea serpents and sea dragons Chet Van Duzer's "Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps" (British Library, 2013) depict a range of 'sea monsters' which cartographers used to illustrate mysterious, unexplored regions of the globe and the possible dangers of seafaring The most eye-catching part of centuries-old maps are often not geographical; they're supernatural.

. Here are a few great examples: Jonah being cast overboard to the sea monster, from Ortelius's map of the Holy Land in his Theatrum orbis. Old maps with marine monsters, sea serpents and sea dragons

. However, at the end of the 17th century, sea monsters start to disappear from maps Later on in the Renaissance, the hapless map monsters dove into the sea and exited maps altogether