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First State of One of the Earliest Thematic Maps -- The First Thematic Map Focused on Zoology 

Bound Into Zimmerman's Landmark 3 Volume Work on Biogeography

Rare map of the world showing the distribution of mammals or quadrupeds. As noted by Princeton's on-line exhibition on Thematic Mapping, Zimmerman's map is the:

first map of animal geography. . . It is the addition and geographical placement of the Latin names of quadrupeds that distinguishes the map from anything previously published. Castor (beaver), for example, appears throughout northern North America; leo (lion) in Africa; and kanguro (kangaroo) in northeastern Australia, where Cook's men first sighted one. Though very rudimentary in style and accuracy, the map marks an auspicious moment in the history of thematic mapping.

The present example appeared in Zimmerman's 3 volume work, the title of which translates as "Geographical History of Humans and the Generally Distributed Four-Footed Animals, along with an Associated Zoological World Map . . . "  

E.A.W. Zimmermann (1743-1815) was a pioneer in the field of biogeography, and his work represents a landmark in the study of the geographical distribution of animals. Zimmermann's Tabula Mundi Geographico Zoologicasistens Quadrupedes hucusque notos sedibus suis adscriptos contains the first world map of zoological geography, illustrating the distribution of mammals as it was understood at the end of the eighteenth century.

Drawn on Mercator's projection, Zimmermann's map eschews political boundaries, focusing instead on Linnaean zoology and taxonomy. This approach highlights the natural habitats and geographical distribution of various quadrupeds without the distraction of human-imposed borders. The map is an essential reference for understanding the early development of biogeography and the application of Linnaean principles to the classification and distribution of mammals.

The map by Joseph Marianus and August Wilhelm Knoch, included in the third volume published in 1783, is a notable improvement over an earlier version engraved by T. Haak of Leiden, which had been separately published in 1777. Originally published under a different title in Zimmermann's Specimen zoologiae geographicae, Quadrupedum domicilia et migrationes sistens (Leiden, 1777), this world map reflects updated geographical data, including James Cook's discovery of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). However, only the most basic place names are given, emphasizing the Latin names of quadrupeds, which distinguishes the map from all previously published maps. For example, Castor (beaver) appears throughout northern North America, Leo (lion) in Africa, and Kanguro (kangaroo) in northeastern Australia, where Cook's men first observed it. Although rudimentary in style and accuracy, the map marks a significant moment in the history of thematic mapping. This revised edition features improved accuracy and detail, reflecting the advancements in zoological knowledge and cartographic techniques of the time.

Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann (1743-1815) was a professor of mathematics and natural history at the Collegium Carolinum in Brunswick, central Germany. Notably, one of his students was Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777-1855), who became one of the most influential mathematicians in history. Zimmermann traveled extensively throughout Europe to study economic conditions and natural resources. He is regarded as one of the founders of animal zoogeography, contributing significantly to the understanding of animal distribution and the development of biogeography as a scientific discipline.