Mistakes and Myths in Antique Maps: From Sea Monsters to Lost Continents

Antique maps were not only tools to share geographic knowledge; they were also works that reflected human imagination, fears, curiosity, and the knowledge of their time. Today, when we look at old maps and notice errors, these mistakes and myths in antique maps give us valuable clues about how people once saw the world.

At Agora Old Prints and Maps, while studying the antique maps in our collection, we see that these so-called mistakes actually shed light on the flow of history. Here are some of the most fascinating examples:

Mistakes and Myths in Antique Maps: California as an Island

In the 16th and 17th centuries, many European mapmakers showed California as an island. This error is one of the most famous examples of mistakes and myths in antique maps, and it lasted for decades until the 18th century when further explorations corrected it.

First English map of North America to show California as an island Henry Briggs , 1625

Terra Australis, the Imaginary Southern Continent

For centuries, cartographers believed there must be a huge landmass in the south to “balance” the lands of the north. This imaginary continent, called Terra Australis Incognita, appeared on many maps and is a classic example of mistakes and myths in antique maps until real discoveries revealed the true Antarctic continent.

Typus Orbis Terrarum - Abraham Ortelius, 1579

Sea Monsters and Imaginary Creatures

Medieval and Renaissance maps often filled unknown seas with dragons, giant fish, and other mythical beasts. These illustrations are perfect examples of mistakes and myths in antique maps, showing both the fear of the unknown and the mapmakers’ desire to make their works visually striking.

Iceland - Abraham Ortelius, 1595

Atlantis and Mythical Lands

The legendary Atlantis even appeared on some maps as if it were a real place. Sometimes mapmakers relied on myths, folk stories, or travelers’ tales to fill in the blanks of unexplored regions. This is another clear instance of mistakes and myths in antique maps, proving that old maps are as much cultural narratives as they are geographic records.

Understanding the Value of Antique Maps

Today, what we call “mistakes” are actually some of the most fascinating parts of cartographic history. Mistakes and myths in antique maps show not just geography, but also the journey of the human mind.

At Agora Old Prints and Maps, the antique maps we offer are witnesses to this journey. Each one carries the knowledge, dreams, and sometimes the errors of the past into the present. That’s why antique maps are not only decorative objects but also living documents of history.