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Large map of the Ancient World, as known to the ancient civilizations of Europe, based upon an earlier map published by J.B.B. D'Anville in Paris.
The map shows a modern outline of the regions of Europe known at the time of Ptolemy, using ancient place names and omitting regions which had not yet been "discovered" by Europeans.
The text describes a discrepancy between the geographical knowledge of the ancient world and that of the more recent past or present, as portrayed this map. The first part emphasizes that contemporary maps have expanded beyond the geographical understanding of the ancient world, particularly in Asia and surrounding islands.
The second part reflects on the hypothetical scenario where the contemporary breadth of geographical knowledge (encompassing all three parts of the world: Europe, Asia, and Africa) is applied to the format of ancient maps. The result would be an ancient map that appears "too sparse and lacking in its own resources" because the old geographical scope is much narrower compared to today's understanding. This signifies that if ancient geographical concepts were to be applied to modern maps, they would appear insufficient and limited due to the significant expansion of geographical knowledge over time.
James Wyld Sr. (1790-1836) was a British cartographer and one of Europe’s leading mapmakers. He made many contributions to cartography, including the introduction of lithography into map printing in 1812.
William Faden, another celebrated cartographer, passed down his mapmaking business to Wyld in 1823. The quality and quantity of Faden’s maps, combined with Wyld’s considerable skill, brought Wyld great prestige.
Wyld was named geographer to Kings George IV and William IV, as well as HRH the Duke of York. In 1825, he was elected an Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was one of the founding members of the Royal Geographical Society in 1830. Also in 1830, his son, James Wyld Jr., took over his publishing house. Wyld Sr. died of overwork on October 14, 1836.
James Wyld Jr. (1812-87) was a renowned cartographer in his own right and he successfully carried on his father’s business. He gained the title of Geographer to the Queen and H.R.H. Prince Albert. Punch (1850) described him in humorous cartographic terms, “If Mr. Wyld’s brain should be ever discovered (we will be bound he has a Map of it inside his hat), we should like to have a peep at it, for we have a suspicion that the two hemispheres must be printed, varnished, and glazed, exactly like a pair of globes.”
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