The Ebstorf Map was an example of a (a
medieval European map of the world). It was made by
Gervase of Ebstorf, who was possibly the same man as
Gervase of Tilbury
Gervase of Tilbury (; 1150–1220) was an English canon lawyer, statesman and cleric. He enjoyed the favour of Henry II of England and later of Henry's grandson, Emperor Otto IV, for whom he wrote his best known work, the '' Otia Imperialia''.
...
,
some time between 1234 and 1240.
Description
The map was found in a convent in
Ebstorf, northern Germany, in 1843.
It was a very large map, painted on 30
goatskins sewn together and measuring around a greatly elaborated version of the common medieval tripartite map (
T and O), centered on
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
with east at the top.
The head of Christ was depicted at the top of the map, with his hands on either side and his feet at the bottom.
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
is represented in the shape of a lion, and the map reflects an evident interest in the distribution of
bishoprics
In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associated ...
.
There was text around the map, which included descriptions of animals, the creation of the world, definitions of terms, and a sketch of the more common sort of T and O map with an explanation of how the world is divided into three parts. The map incorporated both pagan and biblical history.
The original was destroyed in 1943 during Allied
bombing of Hanover in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
However, a set of
black-and-white photographs taken in 1891 of the original map survives, and several colour
facsimile
A facsimile (from Latin ''fac simile'', "to make alike") is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print, or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible. It differs from other forms of r ...
s of it were made before it was destroyed.
Authorship
The arguments for
Gervase of Tilbury
Gervase of Tilbury (; 1150–1220) was an English canon lawyer, statesman and cleric. He enjoyed the favour of Henry II of England and later of Henry's grandson, Emperor Otto IV, for whom he wrote his best known work, the '' Otia Imperialia''.
...
being the mapmaker are based on the name ''Gervase'', which was an uncommon name in northern Germany at the time, and on some similarities between the world views of the mapmaker and Gervase of Tilbury. The editors of the Oxford Medieval Texts edition of Gervase of Tilbury's ''
Otia Imperialia'' conclude that although their being the same man is an "attractive possibility", to accept it requires "too many improbable assumptions".
References
Further reading
*
External links
Higher quality image of the map
{{Authority control
Historic maps of the world
1234 works
Uelzen (district)
Culture of Lower Saxony
Lost works of art
1943 disestablishments in Germany
World War II strategic bombing of Germany
13th-century maps