Ptolemy
Much ahead of his time, Ptolemy referred to a system of latitude and longitude in his book 'Geographia' around 150 AD. It was a compendium of knowledge about the world's geography. He was also the one who introduced the concept of describing locations on earth based on astronomical observations from those areas. Although Ptolemy's original maps were never found, his work was explicit enough for the next generation of cartographers to recreate his observations. In fact, his idea of using a latitude and longitude system left a significant clue for the later cartographers. Ptolemy's map projections are still considered as the initial stimulus to the development of cartography.
Al Idrisi
This famous cartographer of the 12th century devoted 15 years of his life to globetrotting and creating a detailed map of Eurasia and part of northern Africa. The striking feature of this Arab geographer's work is the exhaustive information of the geographical features, ethnic groups, and other features of every region he mapped. He deduced these facts from his interviews with natives and extensive traveling. His book 'The Tabula Rogeriana' is an important work of geography and cartography.
Fra Mauro
The name of 15th-century monk Fra Mauro is associated with one of the finest specimen of medieval cartography. Fra Mauro's mappamundi, which was a large round map, depicted Europe, Asia, and Africa. The world map was created based on his interactions with traveling merchants. Unlike Ptolemy, Fra Mauro's map was oriented with south at the top of the map.
Gerardus Mercator
The 16th century cartographer introduced the first map projection to simplify navigation. It was in 1569 that the map projection was created as a navigational tool. Gerardus Mercator's map is considered as the first attempt by any cartographer to make a round earth look "right" on a flat surface. In order to offset the fact that representing a spherical shape on a flat plane resulted in distortions, Mercator rendered longitudes and latitudes as straight lines.
Nicolas de Fer
Credited for having drawn over 600 maps, this French cartographer of the 17th century was one of those early cartographers who added an artistic element to the art of cartography. Though his maps were not the known for geographical accuracy, their sheer beauty and aesthetic qualities made them a rarity.
Henry Pelham
This 18th century Boston-born cartographer holds an important place in Irish history. His county and baronial maps of Ireland are notable for their historical importance. One of the prized remnants of the American Revolution is the map of Boston created by Pelham for the British intelligence.
Aaron Arrowsmith
Known for his precision, Aaron Arrowsmith is one of the celebrated cartographers of the 18th century. He gained international repute by drawing a large chart of the world on Mercator projection. Arrowsmith's map-making skills were more prominently manifested in his maps of Southern India, North America (1796) and Scotland (1807).
John Brian Harley
This cartographer of the 20th century was a leading expert on the history of maps. The geographers and social theorists acknowledge his contribution to critical cartography, which is an emerging discipline. The map historian at the universities of Birmingham, Liverpool, and other universities, is also the founder of the History of Cartography Project. His scholarly books on history of maps and map making are considered as a standard reference for subsequent research.
David Woodward
David Woodward is a much revered mapping expert who doesn't not look at maps as an aid for geographers. He had always focused on how maps were used as cultural tools and why they were produced. From European Renaissance to traditional Islamic and South Asian societies, his work spanned across a wide range of topics that were not attempted before.
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Last Updated : June 12, 2015
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