Thursday, November 21, 2024

Mapping Mythical Islands & Imaginary Lands

Hy-Brasil is a mythical island, which was once believed to be located west of Ireland. According to legend, the island was typically shrouded in mist and only visible once every seven years. It appeared on several maps from the 14th to 16th centuries, often depicted as a circular island divided by a central river or strait.

Hy-Brasil is also shown in the Atlantic Ocean near Ireland on Map Myths, an interactive atlas exploring historical cartographic errors, myths, and misconceptions, such as phantom islands, mythical cities, and imaginary features. The site examines the origins of these legends, why they were included on maps, and how exploration eventually corrected these inaccuracies.

Map Myths is a captivating exploration of mythical and legendary locations, combining history, geography, and storytelling to uncover the origins of cartographic anomalies. The map provides detailed historical context and plausible explanations for these errors, revealing how myths like phantom islands and mythical cities were often products of misreported sightings and folklore. 

Map Myths earns lots of bonus points for being one of the first interactive maps I've seen which offers Arctic and Antarctic map projections. You can actually choose from five different projections (including Mercator, Mollweide and Robinson) but the Arctic and Antarctic projections are particularly useful for visualizing the locations of mythical lands in the extreme north or south. This includes Rupes Nigra, a legendary magnetic rock at the North Pole (believed to explain why compasses point north).

You can follow Map Myths on Bluesky, for regular updates on historcial cartographical anomolies. Maps Mania is also on Bluesky at @mapsmania.bsky.social

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