An Interactive Medieval Map from the British Library
this is just really cool
Modern Medieval
by David M. Perry and Matthew Gabriele
As a part of the British Library’s new “Alexander the Great” exhibition, the BL has partnered with Escape Studios’ School of Interactive and Real Time to create an interactive medieval map.
The map in question is from Ebstorf, in northern Germany - created in ca. 1300 by the nuns who lived in the monastery there. It is a conceptual map of the world (notice it’s round!) with Jerusalem at the center and North to the viewer’s left. Notice too the not uncommon medieval practice of inscribing the body of Jesus on the map, with His head at the top (East), hands at North and South, and feet at the bottom (West).
But what’s really neat here is that the BL with their partners at Escape Studios have animated it.
In the experience (available now!), one can scroll around the map, clicking on various areas to see greater detail and have them come to life. Expert commentary is provided to learn more. What an exceptional teaching tool and one that’s just really neat.
Watch a brief video here.
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