The Piri Reis Map of 1513

by Gregory C. McIntosh and Dashka Slater

Book Overview

One of the most beautiful maps to survive the Great Age of Discoveries, the 1513 world map drawn by Ottoman admiral Piri Reis is also one of the most mysterious. Gregory McIntosh has uncovered new evidence in the map that shows it to be among the most important ever made.

This detailed study offers new commentary and explication of a major milestone in cartography. Correcting earlier work of Paul Kahle and pointing out the traps that have...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0820321575
• ISBN13: 9780820321578
• Release Date: July 2000
• Publisher: University of Georgia Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

Good analysis, better than Hapgood

After reading Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings: Evidence of Advanced Civilization in the Ice Age, I thought this book might clear up some issues and provide some analysis of previous studies done on this map. I feel that this book did a good job in this area. McIntosh goes to town on the sloppy methods used by others over the years and conducts a more unbiased study without putting forth wild theories or making the data fit any preconceived notions. His discussion about Piri Reis' use of a map made by Columbus is worth the read. Here are a few quotes that I found apt in terms of criticizing earlier studies done. "It appears the method of Kahle, Levillier, Mallery, Hapgood, and others was to ignore the place-names inscribed on the landforms on the Piri Reis map, compare its features with a modern map to 'identify' the features, and then contrast the 'amazing accuracy' of the manuscript Piri Reis map with early printed maps." (pg. 41) Also on this page he notes that Hapgood only really looked at printed maps, which were "more inaccurate for their time", and that "the Piri Reis map is no more accurate than other manuscript maps of its time". McIntosh goes further in stating that "selective use of data can be used to support almost any untenable position". (pg. 68)

good book

If you are interested in maps and the history of the discovery of the americas this book can be recommended. It is sometimes difficult to read. The pages with the maps are not always in the same place where the maps are discussed, which is quite inconvienent. I learnt a lot about the early maps of america and the authors presented their ideas convincingly. The authors should have spent less pages on debunking obvouisly outlandish ideas. All in all I enjoyed the book and the detailed maps in it.