Synopses & Reviews
"The map is not the territory" is a cartographic truism. It means that unless the map is drawn on a mile-to-mile scale and has the same physical characteristics as the territory itself, it cannot be perfectly accurate. But as David Turnbull demonstrates, the map is a metaphor not only for the territory it represents but for the culture that created it. As such, it takes on the meaning of the territory and its importance in that culture.
In this ingenious book, Turnbull challenges common assumptions about the nature of cartography. In each of ten "exhibits" he addresses a seemingly basic concept—that a map is be factually accurate, for example, or that its symbols refer to concrete elements of the landscape—and then illustrates its complexities with maps from Western, Asian, and native cultures, from prehistoric to modern times, accompanied by quotations and historical background. The "exhibits" show how different cultures express their relation to the land, and how those differences ultimately define not only territory but also domination—religious, ideological, cultural, and political.
An ideal introduction to the concepts of cartography, this book teaches not only how to read maps, but how to read them between the lines.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-65).
Table of Contents
Maps and Theories
The Conventional Nature of Maps
Maps and Pictures
Bringing the World Back Home
Aboriginal-Australian Maps
The Story So Far
The Function of Maps
Maps - A Way of Ordering Knowledge
Maps - A Way of Ordering Our Environment
Maps and Power
Maps and Theories Concluded
Further Reading
Acknowledgments