Old maps are, indeed, a significant part of the cultural heritage of every nation. In addition to their value as works of art, they are also among the most important historical sources. Maps as reliable documents of the historical context they originated from, witnessing about numerous events and their impact on development of certain areas. Every cartographic source on which the name of Croatia or the names of its places can be found, give trustworthy evidence of its existence and historical continuity. The activity on collecting and studying of historical maps constitutes, therefore, one of the most important links in the chain of historical sources relevant for the Croatian history. Putting together and showing here this private collection of maps, thus making it accessible to any visitor, traduces our wish to underscore the importance and value of ancient maps, and our intent to encourage their future study.
By considering these maps in terms of historical circumstances that made them, historical cartography provides insights into the cartographic sources when placed within their historical and scientific contexts, providing basis for their adequate evaluation. Therefore, knowledge of cartography principles is indispensable to interpret correctly a cartographic source.
Cartographic sources are especially relevant to scientific disciplines such as historical geography and eco-history as they study men into their natural environment, examining the influence and interdependence of historical events on the state and transformation of both natural and cultural landscapes, with emphasis on dynamic nature of space. Namely, a multitude of historical records conveyed by classical history, in the context of eco-historical and historical-geographic researches are to be placed within their specific space. It's quite natural thus that cartographic representations constitute the main source for studying of dynamic category of space.
The cartographic history made a long voyage from its origins dated back to Antiquity. Although the earliest cartographic artifacts show a serious lack of accuracy, still, they provide important connecting links that made possible the shift toward more accurate representation of the Globe. As cartographic representations always reflect geographical and historical insights, they have to be studied in reference to their context. For the cartography and accurate cartographic representations three factors are of the greatest importance: practical needs of a specific society at different stages of its development, the extent of geographic knowledge and technical development relating to land measuring and its transmission into cartographic representations. By examining the history of cartography through antique maps of Croatia, the changes can be seen in terms of the above mentioned factors that reflect historical and geographical processes shaping, as predominant factors, the natural and cultural landscape of our country, in ways to determine particular conditions of its development.
Dr. sc. Mirela Slukan-Altic
Institut društvenih znanosti "Ivo Pilar"