Definition of cartography - What it is, Meaning and Concept

In the first place, what we are going to do is to proceed to determine the etymological origin of the term cartography.In doing so we will discover that it emanates from Latin and more specifically from the sum of these elements: the word charta , which can be translated as “map”, and the suffix- grafia , which is from the Greek word graphein which meant “write”.

The cartography is the science that is responsible for mapping and the study of geographical maps .Its origins are very old, although they cannot be specified exactly since the definition of map has changed over the years.

Different wall paintings and engravings dating back several millennia before Christ are considered as the first maps and, therefore, the first testimonies of the cartography.The Greeks, the Romans, the Chinese, the Arabs and the Indians were some of the civilizations that developed maps in ancient times.

Specifically, a wall painting has been established as the first cartography that has been called “The House of the Admiral.” This is characterized by having been made in a community that lived in a coastal area during the year 1,600 BC

However, throughout history there have been many other cartographic examples that were important at the time and that today are considered authentic gems: • Map of the ancient Sumerian city of Nippur, which, according to studies carried out , it would belong to the period between the 16th and 12th centuries BC • Chinese maps made of silk and that had been made in the second century BC These were discovered thanks to excavations carried out in the decade of the 70s in the Mawangdui area • Ancient cartographies carried out in India, which stand out for the fact that various constellations appeared in them, including the Polar Bear.• Tabula Rogeriana.These are a set of cartographies undertaken by the Arab Muhammad al-Idrisi, in the year 1154, and that focus on places such as Africa and the Indian Ocean area.

The first maps were flat charts (the latitudes were represented on a constant scale as if the Earth were flat).The invention of devices such as the compass and the quadrant contributed to the creation of more accurate maps.

technology has always played a very important role in the advancement of cartography.From the telescope to the scanners, through the satellites and computers, numerous inventions helped improve the layout and analysis of maps.

The cartography can be divided into two main types: general cartography and thematic cartography .General cartography is responsible for the production of maps aimed at the wider public, with various references.A world map or the map of a country are examples of general cartography.

Thematic cartography, on the other hand, specializes in maps of specific subjects, such as soybean crops in the province of Buenos Aires or the neighborhoods where the Latino population predominates in New York.

Another distinction can be made between the topographic maps (which reflect the elevation of the terrain) and the topological maps (simplified maps that are not fixed in geographical or geographical details).scale, but in the information they spread).