– Etymology:
– The word “atlas” in a geographical context dates back to 1595 by Gerardus Mercator.
– Mercator defined “atlas” as a description of the creation and form of the whole universe.
– The neologism was a mark of respect for the Titan Atlas, considered the first great geographer.
– Initially, atlases were a wide-ranging text but evolved into collections of maps.
– The first modern atlas is attributed to Abraham Ortelius in 1570.
– History of Atlases:
– The first systematically arranged maps of uniform size were by Italian cartographer Pietro Coppo.
– The first modern atlas was “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” by Abraham Ortelius in 1570.
– States began producing national atlases in the 19th century.
– Early printed atlases were not bound; customers could select and customize the contents.
– Atlases published today differ significantly from those in the 16th–19th centuries.
– Types of Atlases:
– Travel atlases are designed for easy use during travel, often with spiral bindings.
– City atlases have specific scales, like 1:20,000 to 1:25,000.
– Desk atlases are similar to reference books and come in hardback or paperback form.
– There are atlases for other planets in the Solar System.
– Atlases of anatomy map out human body organs and organisms.
– References:
– Mercator’s definition of “atlas” is detailed in the preface of the 1595 atlas.
– The first modern atlas was “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” by Abraham Ortelius in 1570.
– States began producing national atlases in the 19th century.
– Early printed atlases were not bound; customers could select and customize the contents.
– Atlases published today differ significantly from those in the 16th–19th centuries.
– External Links:
– Wikimedia Commons has media related to Atlas.
– Online atlases like World Atlas and ÖROK-Atlas Online are available.
– Resources for historical atlases are accessible through the US Library of Congress site.
– Tools like Google Earth, NASA’s World Wind software, and Wikimapia offer interactive mapping features.
– Various historical atlas collections are digitized and available online for exploration.
