Illustrating the Phaenomena: Celestial cartography in Antiquity and the Middle Ages by Elly Dekker

by Elly Dekker

The introduction of the moving sphere as a model for understanding the celestial phenomena caused a great breakthrough in scientific thinking about the structure of the world. It provided the momentum for making celestial globes and mapping the stars. Celestial globes were produced first by Greek astronomers, and soon became greatly appreciated in antiquity as decorative objects (3 antique globes). The design and construction of the globe varied greatly as it passed through the Arabic (10 scientific globes made before 1500) and Medieval European cultures (3 scientific globes made before 1500). It was the starting-point for the design of many maps in antiquity and later in the Middle Ages (33) serving to illustrate books such as Aratus's Phaenomena. In the early fifteenth century scientific celestial maps (5) were constructed in their own right, independent of globes. In this book all extant celestial maps and globes made before 1500 are described and analysed in detail. This prestigious study will appeal to academic historians of science and astronomy, and art historians alike.

Hardcover

First published October 22, 2012

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Elly Decker has emerged as the world's leading scholar on spherical cartography. Her latest work is an exhaustive, in-depth exploration of the earliest known celestial cartography from the early Hellenistic epoch up to the late Middle Ages. Not a casual read by any means, her main focus is the mathematical techniques that the ancients used in the construction of celestial globes and planispheres, with an emphasis on seeking attribution and noting advancements in accuracy. Two important subjects integral to the early mapping of the heavens are mythology and astrology, which are touched upon, but as author points out beyond the scope of her research. Clearly "Phaenomena" is written for academia, a bit tedious at times, and although sufficiently illustrated, it does not have the high visual impact of her previous publications.