Mappa Dan
@mappadan.bsky.social
Home of my thoughts about archaic maps and mappae mundi, reconstructions and snaps people have taken of them, and my own redrawings.
Third party stuff is believed to be in public domain. Copyright applies to own work.
Third party stuff is believed to be in public domain. Copyright applies to own work.
Coincidentally, my horse pic with names of things placed on horses in the Middle Ages.
January 13, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Coincidentally, my horse pic with names of things placed on horses in the Middle Ages.
The Hereford Mappa Mundi's Indian illustrations added to a modern map of India's hydrography. I've located them using the rivers. Concentrations of features across the north, where Alexander and the Seleucids visited.
December 31, 2025 at 10:24 AM
The Hereford Mappa Mundi's Indian illustrations added to a modern map of India's hydrography. I've located them using the rivers. Concentrations of features across the north, where Alexander and the Seleucids visited.
Circle of the winds in the Hereford Mappa: irregular spacing...
December 14, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Circle of the winds in the Hereford Mappa: irregular spacing...
Found this reconstruction on wikipedia for folks like me who can't imagine what they looked like once! 😢
December 11, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Found this reconstruction on wikipedia for folks like me who can't imagine what they looked like once! 😢
Anne? It was apparently depicted in ways that were intended to mark that moment in some medieval images. eg Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate by Giotto from wikipedia...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immacul...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immacul...
December 6, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Anne? It was apparently depicted in ways that were intended to mark that moment in some medieval images. eg Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate by Giotto from wikipedia...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immacul...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immacul...
Redrawing of the Western sections of the Nile.
December 6, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Redrawing of the Western sections of the Nile.
Eastern section (redrawn) with city locations.
December 6, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Eastern section (redrawn) with city locations.
Two images of HMM’s Nile River System, the original and my simplified version. They are oriented to the east, and thus the south is to the right.
December 6, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Two images of HMM’s Nile River System, the original and my simplified version. They are oriented to the east, and thus the south is to the right.
Gates of Heaven ironwork in the Hereford Mappa.
November 26, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Gates of Heaven ironwork in the Hereford Mappa.
Eastern Mediterranean and Western Black Sea using portolan methods (redrawing of Vesconte).
November 26, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Eastern Mediterranean and Western Black Sea using portolan methods (redrawing of Vesconte).
Another...
The 16 point frames that undergird portolan maps.
The 16 point frames that undergird portolan maps.
November 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Another...
The 16 point frames that undergird portolan maps.
The 16 point frames that undergird portolan maps.
a little bit of ptolemy's first projection for a chilly evening.
Map of the known world constructed from a Byzantine manuscript of the Geography from the 14th or 15th century at the British Library (Burney MS 111, f.105v-106r).
Map of the known world constructed from a Byzantine manuscript of the Geography from the 14th or 15th century at the British Library (Burney MS 111, f.105v-106r).
November 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
a little bit of ptolemy's first projection for a chilly evening.
Map of the known world constructed from a Byzantine manuscript of the Geography from the 14th or 15th century at the British Library (Burney MS 111, f.105v-106r).
Map of the known world constructed from a Byzantine manuscript of the Geography from the 14th or 15th century at the British Library (Burney MS 111, f.105v-106r).
Simone Martini's annunciation...
November 17, 2025 at 10:30 AM
Simone Martini's annunciation...
The two lost annunciation doors...
November 17, 2025 at 10:21 AM
The two lost annunciation doors...
Underdrawing of the geography and topography.
November 16, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Underdrawing of the geography and topography.
Underdrawing of the Hereford Mappa - first step.
November 16, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Underdrawing of the Hereford Mappa - first step.
Underdrawing of the Hereford Mappa... final step?
November 16, 2025 at 10:09 PM
Underdrawing of the Hereford Mappa... final step?
Here are the apple-sniffers (my redrawing and translation).
October 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Here are the apple-sniffers (my redrawing and translation).
Insertion into translated redrawing of the temptation and expulsion (also reconstructed)...
October 28, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Insertion into translated redrawing of the temptation and expulsion (also reconstructed)...
Hereford Mappa depiction and rough reconstruction of the Temptation scene, wih what look like apples...
October 28, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Hereford Mappa depiction and rough reconstruction of the Temptation scene, wih what look like apples...
Here's another stunning one: it's on the back of the cross of Lothair from c.1000.
October 27, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Here's another stunning one: it's on the back of the cross of Lothair from c.1000.