Early modern nautical charts of the Adriatic Sea as a medium of communication
Sutlovic, J. (2025). Early modern nautical charts of the Adriatic Sea as a medium of communication, in: Faricic, J. et al. Early modern nautical charts of the Adriatic Sea: Information sources, navigation tools, and communication media. pp. 67-97. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-8046-7_3
In: Faricic, J.; Marelic, T. (Ed.) (2025). Early modern nautical charts of the Adriatic Sea: Information sources, navigation tools, and communication media. Palgrave Macmillan: Singapore. ISBN 978-981-96-8045-0. XXV, 264 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-8046-7, more
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| Abstract |
This chapter examines early modern nautical charts of the Adriatic Sea from the perspective of their function as medium of communication. The aim of the research was to provide new insights into early modern nautical charts of the Adriatic Sea produced in various European cartographic centres. The study focuses on 84 charts from the early modern period, supplemented by medieval and early nineteenth-century charts for comparative analysis. The charts were analysed to explore how they transmitted messages beyond nautical and geographical discourse, including territorial claims, cultural influences, and social interactions. The research integrates the study of imagological elements, symbols, toponyms, cartographic signs, scales, and communication noise to uncover communication techniques and strategies on old charts. Deconstruction of allegorical depictions, flags, and emblematic symbols revealed cartographers’ use of religious, cultural, and territorial motifs to reflect geopolitical realities and aspirations. Toponym analysis highlighted links between navigational needs and the cultural-political context, with toponyms serving as tools for affirming political goals and cultural dominance. The use of cartographic signs enhanced maritime safety. Drawing multiple scale bars, each calibrated in a different unit of distance, increased charts’ communicative potential, though errors due to uncritical content reproduction reduced reliability and posed navigation challenges. Early modern nautical charts transcended their navigational role to function as dynamic communication media, conveying geographical, social, political, and cultural information. These charts conceptually shaped the Adriatic as a space of interaction and conflict, proving their significance as both reflections and agents of historical processes in nautical cartography. |
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