Graphic interpretations of Ptolemy’s Geographia: the first maps of the Iberian Peninsula and their approach to the Extremaduran territory

Abstract

Ptolemy’s Geographia is an important, famous treaty from the 2^nd century subject of later studies. However, the collection of maps based on this work, preserved in codices dating from the 13^th to the 15^th centuries, has been scarcely analyzed with regards to their criteria of representation. After an extensive localization and analysis work in those graphic documents, four codices groups have been established according the maps featured. A selection of them served to analyze the graphic conventions used in these first representations of the Iberian Peninsula: spatial references –meridians, parallels, and climate–, territorial elements –relief, hydrographic network, divisions–, particular elements –landmarks and maritime area– and labelling. Then, the analysis focuses on the area of nowadays Extremadura, concentrating on the toponymy of its populated areas and relative location. The combination of both spheres results in an innovative approach to the eloquent criteria for representation followed in this work. These criteria constituted a primeval cartographic language displaying signs that were used in a flexible way in each codex, inspiring numerous maps in subsequent centuries.