This map of Mexico was published in the business magazine “Fortune” (New York) in 1938. The colourful illustration makes for an upbeat atmosphere, while the text described the massive economic problems in the country
Image: Carlos Merida / David Rumsey Map Collection
Cover of the magazine “Jarida Adliyye” (Istanbul 1926)
Ministry of Justice Turkey / Rumsey Map Collection
In the past, every proper king had an extensive collection to flaunt, today national libraries have their own departments to archive them: the fact is, maps transport knowledge and power. With a bit of imagination, you can virtually travel around the world with your index finger.
For all those of us who don't have any magnificent original maps hanging up at home, Californian collector David Rumsey has a remedy. Over the years, he has amassed a large number of historical maps - and has long been sharing his treasures with the world on the Internet.
The comprehensive digital collection that resulted from this is now affiliated with Stanford University. Thousands of maps are available in the highest resolution and with detailed metadata.
Anyone who has taken even a cursory glance at how European colonial powers subjugated the rest of the world knows that cartography played a central role in this process.
But it wasn't just Europeans who loved maps. They are a lifeblood for any ambitious state, whether it is to secure territories or establish a modern administration. The author Lewis Carroll once joked that the most accurate map was the one at a scale of 1:1, but the problem was that it covered the landscape. For domestic use, the high-resolution digital copies are perhaps good enough to print out a map to hang above the kitchen table.