 |
Science Frontiers ONLINE No. 36: Nov-Dec 1984 |
|
| 
|
Who mapped antarctica in pre-medieval times?
Conventional history has the Antarctic continent being discovered less than 200 years ago. However, the appearance of Terra Australis Re on Orontius Finaeus' map of 1531 and the depiction of a nearly identical continent on Mercator's 1538 map reveal sufficient, accurate knowledge of Antarctic features for us to conclude that someone discovered and mapped Antarctica well before 1500. The question is: Who? An interesting feature of Fineaeus' map is the reduced ice cover compared with what we find today. The Ross Ice Shelf, for example, was almost nonexistent. Such changes in ice cover are consistent with the modern theory of Antarctic climate changes. Apparently, the seas surrounding Antarctica were a bit warmer before 1500, and some unidentified early mariners brought knowledge of this continent back to Europe.
(Weihaupt, John G.; "Historic Cartographic Evidence for Holocene Changes in the Antarctic Ice Cover," Eos, 65: 493, 1984.)
Comment. Obviously missing from Weihaupt's analysis is any consideration of the famous Piri Re'is map and reference to the work of Charles Hapgood; specifically his Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings.