Mappa Mundi

The word “map” originates from the middle age Latin term “Mappa Mundi” which roughly translates to “sheet of the world” (per a quick google search). They have classically been used for navigation but there has always been other meta-data in there…

The sea is treacherous and mysterious; these attributes were represented on old maps by sea monsters which were meant to convey wariness to intrepid explorers venturing out into the unknown.  Also – borders, cities, ‘X’ marking buried treasure and other points of interest. Maps could also subtly hint at status since what you placed at the center could convey a sense of importance (the world revolves around me). 

This is the map I just acquired at the Cumberland Gap Visitor’s Center, a 3D topo map of the region I’m from (East TN). There was one just like it in the house I grew up in and I always liked it. I had a smaller version focusing on the Smokey Mountains but this regional one was strangely difficult to track down. No monsters to speak of, but it does highlight how geographically interesting East Tennessee is. In particular, you can clearly see how the town of Middlesboro, KY is a meteor impact crater (it’s like a flat thumbprint in the middle of the mountains).