Three maps found online, and a quick description.
Map #1: Medieval Map of Exeter, England
This is a medieval map of the city of Exeter in England. It is of interesting to me because of the radically different perspective and style as compared to modern day maps. Clearly the systems of classification and control that we use today (ie grids, street names/numbers, cardinal points orientation, etc) had not come into existence then. This map was made by and for people who lived out their whole lives within a walled city such as this one, where streets were formed over the year according to daily usage (e.g fastest routes to important focal points such as the church, the market, the blacksmith, etc), and not according to an objective layout intended to create maximum ease of control for the powers that be. Also, the bird's eye view hasn't quite been utilized, which is almost a requirement for modern day maps. The map is also quite embellished artistically, with details and colors that just wouldn't be considered appropriate for most city maps today.
Map source: Exeter Tourist Information and History.
Map #2: Walmart production map
This is a map that shows the proportion of Walmart products made different countries. Each country is sized according to the percentage of products made there. Therefore China, which by far comprises the majority of Walmart's stock, is the largest country displayed. Most countries are not even on the map, as Walmart doesn't have factories everywhere. I liked this map, because it's not a conventional map of the world at all. In fact, if you tried to use this map simply to look at where countries are, it would fail you miserably. Instead, it is used to display very specific information. The thing i find most interesting about this map, is that the second largest country is the United States, and not some other developing country most commonly associated with cheap manufactured items. i would have thought it would be Mexico, or India perhaps. I definitely didn't realize that we still make so much stuff.
Source: Digital aesthetics
Viewed: October 7th, 2010
Map #3: Middle Earth!!!
This is a map of Middle Earth, from the JRR Tolkein Epic Fantasy novel, The Lord of the Rings. I admit that the primary interest for me in this map lies in the fact that I am a big fat nerd, and love LoTR, and how detailed the world that Tolkein created was. His original map included mountains, rivers, forests, important landmarks, etc. Everything that a real map would also include. However, the secondary point of interest for me, is that this version of the map, made for the computer or video game, is a reconstructed topographical map, with Middle Earth displayed as if taken from a satellite. Using all the information Tolkein provided in his original map, and within the books themselves, EA games has filled in the landscape as realistically as possible. very cool.
Source: EA Games
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