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Mapping Terra Incognita

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Version 2 2023-06-23, 11:06
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journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-23, 11:06 authored by C Murray
The theorizing of a southern continent for more than two millennia before the discovery of Antarctica and its long representation in maps are phenomena unparalleled in the history of geography and are well known. However, the epistemological implications of the mapping of this non-existent place have received little consideration. After preliminary remarks about present-day remote imaging of Antarctica and limits to the completeness of all mapping and knowledge, the article discusses the representation of the southern Terra Incognita in examples of mediaeval and Renaissance maps. It is argued that filling in blank spaces both reflected a yearning for complete knowledge and provided an opportunity for non-geographical discourse that is missing in maps today.

History

Publication title

Polar Record

Volume

41

Issue

217

Article number

217

Number

217

Pagination

103-112

ISSN

0032-2474

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Publication status

  • Published

Rights statement

C Murray

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

130703 Understanding Australia’s past

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    University Of Tasmania

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