The Enigma of the Origin of Portolan Charts : A Geodetic Analysis of the Hypothesis of a Medieval Origin.

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- List of Illustrations -- Chapter 1 Introduction -- 1.1 The Origin of Portolan Charts: Research Challenges -- 1.2 Objective and Scope of this Book -- 1.3 Four 'Pillars' -- Chapter 2 Key Characteristics of Portolan Charts -- 2.1 Preamble -- 2.2 Distinguishing Characteristics -- 2.3 Disputed, Unclear and Unsatisfactorily Explained Aspects of Portolan Charts -- Chapter 3 Existing Hypotheses on the Origin and Construction Method of Portolan Charts -- 3.1 Scholarly Views on the Origins Debate -- 3.2 Ideas on Antique Origins -- 3.3 Hypotheses on Medieval Origins -- 3.4 Hypotheses on Portolan Chart Construction -- 3.5 Plane Charts versus Plane Charting -- 3.6 The Rotation Angle -- 3.7 Methodological Considerations -- Chapter 4 Cartometric Analysis -- Methodology and Existing Research -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Quantitative Analysis Methods - A Conceptual Classification -- 4.3 Existing Cartometric Studies -- 4.4 Chart Selection -- 4.5 Cartometric Analysis Approach -- Chapter 5 Cartometric Analysis of Five Charts -- 5.1 Carte Pisane -- 5.2 Anonymous Genoese Chart (Ricc 3827) -- 5.3 The Ristow-Skelton No. 3 Chart (RS-3) -- 5.4 The Dulcert 1339 Chart -- 5.5 The Roselli 1466 Chart -- 5.6 Analysis of All Results -- 5.7 How Difficult is It to Make an Accurate Map? -- 5.8 Conclusions -- Chapter 6 The Relationship between Portolans and Portolan Charts -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Existing Research -- 6.3 A New Analysis of Lo Compasso de Navegare -- 6.4 Summary of the Analysis -- 6.5 Conclusions -- Chapter 7 Constraints on Shipping and Navigation in the Medieval Mediterranean -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 The Physical Conditions of the Mediterranean -- 7.3 Medieval Ships -- 7.4 An Accuracy Model for Medieval Mediterranean Navigation -- 7.5 Conclusions -- Chapter 8 The Map Projection, Artificial or Intentional?.

8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 A Priori Geodetic Objections -- 8.3 Existing Research -- 8.4 Conceptual Workflow and Test Criteria -- 8.5 Design Principles for a 'Medieval' Geodetic Network -- 8.6 Introductory Information on Geodetic Network Analysis -- 8.7 Network Definition and Analysis -- 8.8 Network Adjustment #1 (Accuracy) -- 8.9 Network Adjustment #2 (Shape) -- 8.10 Summary of the Geodetic Analysis -- 8.11 Accuracy Enhancement by Averaging in the Context of the History of Science -- 8.12 Conclusions from This Chapter -- Chapter 9 Navigational Practices in the Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries -- 9.1 Drawing up the Interim Balance -- 9.2 Navigational Tools: Chart &amp -- Dividers, Needle &amp -- Star -- 9.3 The Toleta de Marteloio -- 9.4 The Mathematical Seaman -- 9.5 Early Time Measurement at Sea -- 9.6 Distance Measurement at Sea -- 9.7 Bearing Measurement - The Mariner's Compass -- 9.8 Conclusions -- Chapter 10 An Arabic-Islamic Origin of Portolan Charts? -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Ibn Fadl'allah's Map - The 'Mamun Geography' -- 10.3 Progress in Astro-geodetic Position Determination -- 10.4 Sezgin's Hypothesized Construction Method of Portolan Charts -- 10.5 Further Arguments Presented by Sezgin for an Arabic-Islamic Origin of Portolan Charts -- Chapter 11 Conclusions -- 11.1 Recap of Conclusions by Chapter -- 11.2 The Four 'Pillars' of the Medieval Origin Hypothesis -- 11.3 Key Conclusions from this Study -- Chapter 12 Synthesis -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 The Appearance of Portolan Charts in Medieval Italy -- 12.3 Remaining Issues -- 12.4 Recommendations for Further Research -- Appendix A The Historical Setting of the Emergence of Portolan Charts -- A.1 The Medieval Mediterranean - Relevant Historical Aspects -- A.2 The Awakening of Europe -- A.3 The Italian Maritime Republics and Aragon -- Appendix B Calculation of the Length of a Rhumb Line.

B.1 An Arbitrary Line on a Sphere -- B.2 The Line in a Specified Direction on a Sphere -- B.3 Mercator Sailing - How to Plot Sailed Distance on a Chart? -- Appendix C The Plane Charting Examples from Chapter 2 -- C.1 Dimensions of the Earth -- C.2 The Routes from Livorno to Dellys -- C.3 Four More Arbitrary Routes -- Appendix D Accuracy Model for Medieval Navigation -- D.1 Introduction -- D.2 Along-course Accuracy -- D.3 Cross-course Accuracy -- Appendix E Cartometric Analysis Details -- E.1 Coordinates of Identical Points -- E.2 Preprocessing - Wind Rose Analysis -- E.3 Main Cartometric Analysis -- Appendix F Reliability of the CALS7k.2 Archaeomagnetic Model -- Appendix G Is the Map Projection Accidental? A Statistical Analysis -- G.1 Preamble -- G.2 Statistical Basis -- G.3 Test Results -- G.4 Discussion -- G.5 Conclusion -- Appendix H The Preface of the Liber de existencia riveriarum -- Bibliography -- Index.

The enigmatic nautical charts of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, known as portolan charts, which suddenly appeared in Italy in the thirteenth century are shown to be sophisticated maps the construction of which was well beyond medieval European mapping capabilities.

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