Browse Maps

Explore historical maps organized by time period

Ptolemy World Map
ancient

Ptolemy World Map

The Ptolemy world map is a map of the world known to Greco-Roman societies in the 2nd century. It is based on the description contained in Ptolemy's b

Tabula Peutingeriana
ancient

Tabula Peutingeriana

Tabula Peutingeriana, also known as Peutinger's Tabula, Peutinger tables and Peutinger Table, is an illustrated itinerarium showing the layout of the

ancient

Roman Empire at its Height (117 AD)

ancient

Silk Road Trade Routes

Blaeu World Map (1664)
early-modern

Blaeu World Map (1664)

Joan Blaeu's stunning double-hemisphere world map from the Atlas Maior, considered one of the finest achievements of Dutch Golden Age cartography.

Cassini Map of France (1789)
early-modern

Cassini Map of France (1789)

The first topographic map of an entire country, based on triangulation surveys — a milestone in scientific cartography.

Blaeu Atlas Maior — World
early-modern

Blaeu Atlas Maior — World

The Atlas Maior is the final version of Joan Blaeu's atlas, published in Amsterdam between 1662 and 1672, in Latin, French, Dutch, German and Spanish,

Cassini Map of France
early-modern

Cassini Map of France

The Cassini Map or Academy's Map is the first topographic and geometric map made of the Kingdom of France as a whole. It was compiled by the Cassini f

Homann Map of Africa
early-modern

Homann Map of Africa

Johann Baptist Homann was a German geographer and cartographer, who also made maps of the Americas. From the Nuremberg publishing house of Johann Bap

Jaillot Map of North America
early-modern

Jaillot Map of North America

Alexis-Hubert Jaillot was a geographer and French cartographer, publisher at Paris, from the late 17th century and beginning of the 18th century, in t

Coronelli Globe Gores — Asia
early-modern

Coronelli Globe Gores — Asia

Vincenzo Maria Coronelli was an Italian Franciscan friar, cosmographer, cartographer, publisher, and encyclopedist known in particular for his atlases

Map of South America (1700)
early-modern

Map of South America (1700)

Guillaume Delisle, also spelled Guillaume de l'Isle, or Guillelmo Delille was a French cartographer known for his popular and accurate maps of Europe

Cook's Chart of New Zealand
early-modern

Cook's Chart of New Zealand

Captain James Cook was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer who led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Ocean

early-modern

Ottoman Empire Map (1683)

early-modern

Mughal Empire Map (1700)

Fra Mauro Map
medieval

Fra Mauro Map

The Fra Mauro map is a map of the world made around 1450 by the Italian (Venetian) cartographer Fra Mauro, which is “considered the greatest memoria

Tabula Rogeriana (1154)
medieval

Tabula Rogeriana (1154)

Al-Idrisi's masterpiece of medieval cartography, one of the most advanced world maps of the medieval period.

Hereford Mappa Mundi
medieval

Hereford Mappa Mundi

The Hereford Mappa Mundi is the largest medieval map still known to exist, depicting the known world. It is a religious rather than literal depiction,

Al-Idrisi World Map
medieval

Al-Idrisi World Map

The Nuzhat al-mushtāq fī ikhtirāq al-āfāq, commonly known in the West as the Tabula Rogeriana, is an atlas commissioned by the Norman King Roger

medieval

Medieval Europe (1200)

Map of the British Empire (1886)
modern

Map of the British Empire (1886)

A striking imperial map showing the vast extent of the British Empire at its height, when it controlled a quarter of the world's surface.

British Empire Map (1886)
modern

British Empire Map (1886)

The Imperial Federation was a series of proposals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to create a federal union to replace the existing British

USGS Topographic Map
modern

USGS Topographic Map

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the United States Department of the Interior whose work

Soviet Military Map
modern

Soviet Military Map

The Soviet Union created the most comprehensive mapping of the entire world ever attempted, mapping foreign countries in extraordinary detail for mili

Japanese Map of Asia (1914)
modern

Japanese Map of Asia (1914)

The earliest known term used for maps in Japan is believed to be kata, which was probably in use until roughly the 8th century. During the Nara period

Dymaxion Map (Fuller)
modern

Dymaxion Map (Fuller)

The Dymaxion map projection, also called the Fuller projection, is a kind of polyhedral map projection of the Earth's surface onto the unfolded net of

Peters Projection World Map
modern

Peters Projection World Map

The Gall–Peters projection is a rectangular, equal-area map projection. Like all equal-area projections, it distorts most shapes. It is a cylindrica

Map of Antarctica (1940s)
modern

Map of Antarctica (1940s)

The history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the

modern

Scramble for Africa (1885)

modern

Louisiana Purchase Map (1803)

modern

World War I Map (1914-1918)

modern

Cold War World Map (1947-1991)

Mercator World Map (1569)
renaissance

Mercator World Map (1569)

Gerardus Mercator's famous projection revolutionized navigation and remains one of the most widely used map projections.

Waldseemüller Map (1507)
renaissance

Waldseemüller Map (1507)

The first map to use the name "America," this groundbreaking map showed the New World as a separate continent.

Waldseemüller Map (1507)
renaissance

Waldseemüller Map (1507)

The Waldseemüller map or Universalis Cosmographia is a printed wall map of the world by the German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, originally pub

Mercator World Map (1569)
renaissance

Mercator World Map (1569)

The Mercator world map of 1569 is titled Nova et Aucta Orbis Terrae Descriptio ad Usum Navigantium Emendate Accommodata. The title shows that Gerard

Ortelius Theatrum Orbis Terrarum
renaissance

Ortelius Theatrum Orbis Terrarum

Theatrum Orbis Terrarum is considered to be the first true modern atlas. Written by Abraham Ortelius, strongly encouraged by Gillis Hooftman and origi

Cantino Planisphere
renaissance

Cantino Planisphere

The Cantino planisphere or Cantino world map is a manuscript Portuguese world map preserved at the Biblioteca Estense in Modena, Italy. It is named af

renaissance

Voyages of Columbus (1492-1504)

renaissance

Age of Exploration Routes (1400-1600)

Our Partners

Trusted partner applications powering global data and insights