30 MAPS AND THEIR MAKERS 



The earlier charts, it should be noted, are by Italian draughts- 

 men. In addition there are three 'world' maps closely related to 

 these charts, one certainly and two probably dating from this 

 century. 



The best known is the great Catalan atlas of 1375, now 

 in the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris, and attributed to Cresques 

 the Jew.^ They are all by Majorcans or have legends partly 

 in Catalan, so that it would appear that as the century pro- 

 gressed, the centre of cartographic activity was definitely 

 established at Majorca. 



The charts are drawn on single skins of parchment, which 

 generally preserve their natural outline, and they range in size 

 from 36 X 18 inches to 56x 30 inches. The coastline is in black, 

 often faded and faint, but with its outline emphasized by the 

 long series of names of ports and coastal features, written 

 perpendicularly to it. These names are in black, save for those 

 of important harbours which are in red. Small islands, including 

 river deltas, are in solid colour, red or gold, and rocks or shoals 

 are indicated by small crosses or dots in black or red. In what 

 is sometimes referred to as the 'normal portolan', there is 

 little detail inland; occasionally a few rivers, mountain ranges, 

 and vignettes of larger cities with banners. These are often 

 carefully drawn and brilliantly coloured. The whole effect, 

 especially on the later and more elaborate examples, is extremely 

 decorative. It must be remembered that charts, being the 

 working tools of a hazardous profession, were liable to be lost 

 or discarded when worn out, so that it is not surprising that 

 few have survived. The existing decorative charts were no 

 doubt prepared for wealthy shipowners or merchants, and, 

 preserved in their libraries, escaped the hazards of the sea. 

 There is no reason to doubt, however, that they resemble in 

 essentials those in everyday use. 



The charts to which particular reference is made in the 

 following paragraphs are : (i)the 'Carte Pisane', so called because 

 it once belonged to a family of Pisa. It is probably of Genoese 

 origin. The draughtsman is not named, and it is undated, but 

 generally assigned to the late thirteenth century. It extends 

 from the Black Sea to southern England (extremely crudely 

 iSee p. 40. 



