About 500 years ago, in 1585, gerardus mercator, a renowned cartographer from germany made a book of maps. Book of maps is a crossword puzzle clue that we have spotted over 20 times. Family reference atlas of the by national geographic. Atlas became associated with northwest africa over time. Even though a book of maps is called atlas because most early books had a picture of titan atlas holding the world, the first to associate atlas with a bound collection of maps wasnt thinking about titan atlas, but the mythical king of mauretania. Standard atlas and directory of holt county, nebraska. Property ownership maps or plat books kansas historical. About 500 years ago, geradus mercator made a book of maps. It was called theatrum orbis terrarum, or theater of the world. In later centuries, the figure of atlas holding up the earth was often used at the front of a book of maps. Atlas simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Its the use of the term atlas as a name for collections of terrestrial maps plus the modern understanding that the earth is a sphere that have combined to inspire the many depictions of atlas burden as the earth. A book containing a collection of maps is called an atlas. His image was often printed on books with maps and they eventually became known as atlases. This is not meant to be a complete atlas, but it will definitely stimulate discussion and interest in the lands represented.
We all are familiar with the book of maps or atlas as we know it. Pitzmans new atlas of the city and county of saint louis, missouri. Louis county, missouri, 1909 compiled from county records and actual surveys. Ortelius wasnt thinking in terms of books, but, with mercators help, he collected the best maps around. Greek mythology the mythology of the ancient greeks. This bundle of maps was decorated with a picture of greek titan atlas, who is believed to have carried the earth on his back.
Atlas was a greek god who supposedly held up the earth on his shoulders. Opening with an original style of contents page, consisting of a world map with countries labelled with the pages where information can be found, the atlas is divided into eight sections, looking at countries within each continent plus the arctic and antarctica. The word was coined my the geographer and cartographer mercator, who. Atlas referred to a portrait of king atlas, a mythical african monarch. Even though a book of maps is called atlas because most early books had a picture of titan atlas holding the world.
Hemispheres eastern, western northern and southern. So, now you know how atlas the keeper of all the world got its name. Ever since then, a book of maps has been called an atlas. The 52 illustrated maps in this book invite the reader on a journey of exploration around the world. Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many. Plats of all the townships with owners names, kansas state map showing automobile roads. Atlas greek mythology a titan who was forced by zeus to bear the sky on his shoulders. National geographic atlas of the world, 11th edition. The mythical figure was tied to the earth so at some point in. With the iconic road atlas leading the way, our products have helped travelers make the most of their road trips for more than 100 years.
Our line of atlases, maps, activity books, and other fine publications are developed to inspire an interest in the world and enrich lifes journey. Many atlases also contain facts and history about certain places. And, thus, atlas was once again forced to hold the sky on his shoulders till eternity. The first book that in hindsight could be called an atlas was constructed from the calculations of claudius ptolemy, a geographer working in alexandria circa a. Road atlas buy cheap road atlas online at the works. The ancient greeks told tales about giant beings called titans. Later collections of maps included similar pictures of atlas, and came to be called atlases.
The globe originally represented the celestial sphere of ancient astronomy, rather than the earth. The definition of atlas is a book of maps or some type of information that includes pictures andor tables and charts. This atlas is an interactive mosaic of 14 aerial photographs of the necropolis from 1979 archive 20070201. Why is a book of maps called an atlas the term atlas comes from the name of a mythological greek figure, atlas. A book or collection of maps is called an atlas, named for the greek god who job was to support the heavens and the earth. Information and translations of atlas in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. The greeks usually represented him supporting two huge pillars that held up the earth, and these pillars rested in the sea we call the atlantic ocean, named after atlas. The first modern atlas was printed in 1570 by abraham ortelius, a flemish cartographer and geographer.
You flex the head forward as far as it will go, then you push a broad needle or a thin scalpel into what we call the atlas, the. For generations, rand mcnally has been compiling accurate. As punishment for fighting with the titans against the gods, atlas was forced to hold up the planet earth and the heavens on his shoulders. In the 16th century gerardus mercator put together the first collection of maps to be called an atlas and devoted his book to the king of mauretania. The earliest atlases were not called by that name at the time of their publication, as it was introduced in 1595 by gerardus mercator. Ortelius atlas general atlases articles and essays. Over time, it became common to bind the maps together into one book.
The word was coined my the geographer and cartographer mercator, who published the first book called an atlas in 1595. Oxford student atlas hindi 2 mini map free for competitive exams. The first book that in hindsight could be called an atlas was constructed from the calculations of claudius ptolemy, a geographer working in. Rand mcnally atlases, state maps, street maps, wall maps. Collins uk road maps plan your own journey, with collins britain essential uk road atlas 20 with speed camera locations, sat nav friendly postcodes for top attractions, high risk roads map and national rail network map.
From its original seventy maps and eightyseven bibliographic references in the first edition 1570, the atlas grew through its thirtyone editions to encompass 183 references and 167 maps in 1612. An atlas is usually divided into map pages and information pages. Book of maps definition of book of maps by the free. World atlas world map atlas of the world including. In 1595, a collection of maps prepared by the flemish mapmaker gerardus mercator was published with the word atlas in the title. The aa uk road atlas is also available in large print. National geographic atlas of by national geographic. There are many kinds of specialized atlases, such as. Although the term atlas was not in use in 1544, these works are now called iato atlases italian, assembled to order or more frequently lafreri atlases after one of. The titans one fought with the greek gods and lost.
There are many kinds of specialized atlases, such as road atlases and historical atlases. Book of maps atlas facts for kids, history kinooze. Atlas is a figure from greek mythology known for being punished by zeus and made to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders. We were thinking of the maps and the world, not a suffering mythical character. On the first page of the book, this famous story of atlas was narrated. Ortelius marketdriven invention of the first atlas. Only after 1610 did the atlass accuracy begin to be called into question by more recent findings, such as those found in the works of the blaeu. This oversized book is filled with delightful illustrations of 52 maps, showing not only geographical features, but also places of interest, native animals and plants, and more. It was the first book of maps with images that were uniform in size and design.