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Geradus Mercator's map dated 1595, showing navigational grid lines |
Maps
and Truth
Why are societies using maps, and
for what purpose? Charts have
been drawn since ancient times, to provide records and location of places,
connect buildings, villages with roads or tracks. Navigation maps were used
as aids for people to locate their destinations. “Grid references define
locations on maps using Cartesian coordinates” (http//www.icsm.gov.au). Modern
maps, since establishing the Greenwich (UK) Prime Meridian in 1851, all maps
refer to zero for the longitudinal Prime Meridian at that point. Gerardus
Mercator’s map dated 1595, used in his atlas a prime meridian west of Santa
Maria Island, Atlantic, with his 180 s meridian running along the Bering
Strait. A prime meridian is an arbitrary line that completes 360 degrees from a
nominated longitudinal zero point.
All
maps are designed to serve and to suit a
particular purpose. A world atlas provides
information on location, general shapes, and the land area of continents,
countries, cities, and infrastructure like roads, water storage dams. A roadmap
will show where to leave a path at a specific junction to arrive at a predetermined
destination without losing your way. A maritime chart is used
to navigate ships safely from their departure point to their destination, and those maps are unique to suit ship navigation.
Mercator’s maps and gridlines were suitable for ship navigation but designed as
a primary function to maintain navigational compass bearings on straight lines. Mercator’s objective was to assist the
navigators not to provide geographical accuracy.
Today's
two-dimensional printed maps do not show accurate geographic data.
However, geographically mismatched continents from middle-aged times has been
corrected. Today's GPS (Global Positioning System) which have replaced outdated
maps are regularly adjusted to real positions and to compensate for geological
movements. Continental drifts and shifts
to ensure users that positions are always accurate.
Word count: 299, excluding
references
References:
"Grid references define locations on maps using Cartesian coordinates". Retrieved from
Wood, D. Kaiser, W.L. Abramms, B. (2006). Seeing
Through Maps: Many Ways to See the
World, pp.3-10.
New International Publications Ltd, Oxford UK
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