Quṭb al-Dīn al-Shīrāzī’s Textual Map of the Mediterranean Sea (1282) and Its Evident Source in a Portolan Chart
Journal: Imago Mundi
Year: 2023

ABSTRACTIn 1282, the Persian scholar, Quṭb al-Dīn al-Shīrāzī (d. 1311), included in a cosmographical work a description of a ‘Greek’ map of the Mediterranean. Rather than reproducing this map graphically, he placed a square grid over the image, listed the cells covered by the sea, and then itemised the toponyms according to their cell numbers. Once this pixelated map is created as he instructed, it is obvious that the ‘Greek’ map must have been an Italian portolan chart, featuring its unique ele