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Ptolemy’s Map of the World Ptolemy’s Map of the World
16th-Century Chart with Graphical Representation of Prevailing Winds 16th-Century Chart with Graphical Representation of Prevailing Winds

Ptolemy’s Map of the World

Ptolemy’s Map of the World
This map shows the world as Greek geographer and astronomer Ptolemy envisioned it in the 2nd century ad. Ptolemy’s map, based on the accounts of sailors, traders, and armies who had traveled in Europe, Africa, and Asia, shows the Indian Ocean as an enclosed body of water. This misconception persisted in Europe until 1488, when Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope in southern Africa and sailed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
Mercury Archives/The Image Bank
Appears in these articles:
Navigation; Columbus, Christopher; Exploration, Geographic; Geography
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