Portolan Map Possibilities

[Linda]

Some random Portolan thoughts...

Found these instances of how the original shaping would have been accomplished. Most portolan map recreationists talk about tracing previous maps, but to me it would be far more interesting to start from scratch, from the directions and distances, the way i assume they were first created. Someone had a map that didn't match reality, so they figured out where that was, made some measurements, and changed it until it matched more closely to their experience.

 

The numbers listed seem reminiscent of the vms text. Some place names might not be recognized as words, plus there is the problem of multiple spellings, changes in place names over time, and misunderstandings. I thought Oran was Cran, and Arzew was Arzein, at first glance.

Here is a portion of one that includes the east sun, and the north star. Solermo 1380

 

The Danube got me thinking about f77r. 5 outlets of the river, seemingly to do with the elements. The one with the red puffball is labelled otol.

In real life this one goes toward southeast, then turns north again. Although i was only working with the second glyphs after inital o before, i came up with l being north the one time it occurred on f80r. The second glyph does mean southeast to me from f84r.



This one from about 1450 caught my eye because of the Red Sea. Then i realized the Genoese Map of 1457 has something similar going on that could also make you see it the wrong way.

The first features wavy edges and has outcroppings on both gulfs, which seen from a distance can seem to be only one, off to the right, that corresponds to the nymph's head outside the water in f79v, and an exagerrated promontory to the lower left corresponds to the animal's head within the water. 

Also, this one has 5 cities along the Danube which may correspond to the 5 outlets in f77r.

The Genoese map has mountains only on one side. The fact that the Gulf of Suez is so much fatter than Aqaba really makes it seem like there are no gulfs to the north, but one to the east, about where the nymph standing in the fish pokes her head out of the water in the vms. Could the 1450 version have sparked this erroneous evolution? Is there an earlier instance of this trend? You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. at least has two bumps where the gulfs should be. (To the left)



This next one made me think maybe the mouth of the Nile is represented by that thing...almost. but then the bridge made no sense, in other places it seems to usher in outside pieces of info. But i could see someone mistaking the islands and the port circle to be taken as some kind of bottlemouth blob, similar to the vms mouthed blob.