Comments on: Cartocacoethes: Why the World’s Oldest Map Isn’t a Map

By: John Krygier

John Krygier — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:51:19 +0000

It is certainly important to ask questions about the possibility of map-making in prehistory. But such inquiries must take into account the lack of evidence. The number of maps from prehistory is just about none, and they are rare for much of recorded human history. Some of us, particularly geographers and map fans, are so used to maps as a part of our day to day lives that we just can’t imagine a world without them. We then impose this map culture on the past, despite the lack of evidence, and start to see maps where there are none. That is not good. Think instead of people who have no need for maps. My wife would be completely happy if she never had to look at a map. If she needs directions, she uses the list of directions generated by Google Maps (not the map itself). She listens to her GPS (but doesn’t look at the map). This is a common human trait: being able to navigate and understand the world without maps. With a sophisticated cognitive “map” of the environment and no cultural traits that demanded accurate delineation of geographic space (such as property ownership) pre-historical people would be able to function just fine in a world without maps.

By: Richard Horsham

Richard Horsham — Mon, 21 May 2012 05:45:26 +0000

Early people must have had a cognitive map of their environment in order to navigate, locate and share what they knew/ did not know about it. From this starting point surely we need to ask some quality questions about our notions of the possibility/ probability of map making?

By: Accidental Geography | GIS Lounge

Accidental Geography | GIS Lounge — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:43:53 +0000

[...] uncontrollable urge to see maps in everyday, non-cartography-related objects.” The term was originally detailed on John Krygier’s Making Maps blog. Strange Maps has two posts representing a collection of [...]

By: Usted está aquí: los mapas más extraños, polémicos y extrañamente influyentes « Curso de orientación

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:55:29 +0000

[...] en Turquía, data del año 6.200 AC y es anterior al nacimiento de la escritura. Ha sido objeto de muchas polémicas (¿es una ilustración? ¿es un mapa?) y es considerado por muchos el mapa más antiguo. La pintura [...]

By: Usted está aquí: los mapas más bizarros, polémicos y extrañamente influyentes | Pijamasurf

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:51:27 +0000

By: Carlos Salman

Carlos Salman — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 02:33:46 +0000

to john kryeger
I find your explanation too much emotive and a little bit phanatical about asserting that the rest of the painting in the wall known as Catalhoyuc map is not a map, giving more value to the “vision ” of the people that everywhere see “abstract art patterns” than to the “vision” of people that everywhere see maps I think that there is not any reazonable argument to do what you do .If you look into the concept of posible conception (lucien goldman) you will find that in communication processes what you get from a message like the “catalhoyuk map” (ie abstract art or a map or a tiger or stars ) is influenced by your personal experience so please keep looking at the map as your posible conception allows you and give other people the same right. respectfully Carlos Salman Gonzalez ( from mexico)

By: White

White — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:51:33 +0000

Catalhoyuk is such an important site in archeological terms, from neolithic mounds to the evidence for early domesticated farming and sheep herding. Not only this but the artistic evidence too like this “map” – amazing.

By: Accidental Geography | Geo Lounge – All things geography

Accidental Geography | Geo Lounge – All things geography — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:27:34 +0000

By: Telesterion – Self-Development, Enlightenment, Self-Observation, Brain, Mind, and Consciousness. » Blog Archive » The Catal Hoyuk “map”

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:56:28 +0000

[...] Why the World’s Oldest Map Isn’t a Map [...]

By: N Moore

N Moore — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:52:43 +0000

Brilliant article:) I’m a keen amateur follower of all the excavations in Turkey, loved it, thanks.