Asiae VII Tab / Medius meridianus 114, ad quie reliqui..

Title

Asiae VII Tab / Medius meridianus 114, ad quie reliqui..

Description

Map shows Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, a title cartouche, a sea monster in the Caspian Sea and several figurative staffages in the country.

ca. 1618

Artist

Ptolemy/ Gerhard Mercator (1512-1594)

Gerardus Mercator (1512 - 1594) He was a cartographer, philosopher and mathematician. He is best known for his work in cartography, in particular the world map of 1569 based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines. He is renowned to the present day as the cartographer who created a world map based on a new projection which represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines. In his own day he was the world's most famous geographer but in addition he had interests in theology, philosophy, history, mathematics and magnetism as well as being an accomplished engraver, calligrapher and maker of globes and scientific instruments. He wrote few books but much of his knowledge is to be found in the copious legends on his wall maps and the prefaces that he composed for his atlas ,the first in which the term ""atlas"" appears and the sections within it." Claudius Ptolemy ( arround 100- 160 a.C.) Geographia, gives a list of geographic coordinates of spherical longitude and latitude of almost ten thousand point locations on the earth surface, as they were known at his times. The list is organized in Tabulae which cor- respond to specific regions of the three known continents at that time, Africa, Asia and Europe. Research on Ptolemy’s Geographia has started at the University of Thessaloniki, Greece, in the eighties, focused mainly, but not exclusively, on data re- lated to territories which are now under the sovereignty of the modern Greek state. The World of Ptolemy is classified in Regions, since each Chapter is referred to one of them, giving by this way the concept of Atlas as it is understood today.

Historical Description

The history of Central Asia is very diverse and stretches far back in time. It is characterized by great empires, nomadic cultures, trade routes, and a variety of ethnic and cultural influences, with a diverse culture shaped by the mixture of nomadism, Persian, Turkish, Mongolian, and Russian influences.The Achaemenid Empire (Persian Empire), which conquered parts of Central Asia and integrated the region into its administrative system, was particularly important for antiquity. Central Asia played a central role in the Silk Road trade, a network of trade routes connecting Asia with Europe and the Middle East. In the 13th century, the Mongols under Genghis Khan conquered much of Central Asia, leading to profound political and social changes, as well as the spread of science, technology, and culture.In the 14th century, Timur, a significant ruler in Central Asia, emerged. He left an impressive cultural legacy, including monumental architecture. From the 18th century, the Russian Tsars began their expansion into Central Asia, leading to the integration of the region into the Russian Empire. By the late 19th century, the Russians controlled most parts of Central Asia.After the Russian Revolution of 1917 and World War I, Central Asia became part of the Soviet Union.