But Al Idrisi's 1154 world map shows the Arabian Peninsula in the top center of the map, with south at the top. Contrast this map with the 1452 Leardo world map. Different societies in different places literally have different perspectives, which may result from differences in physical geography, language, religion, cultural values and traditions, and history. Even within a culture, a time, and a geographic realm, maps can vary widely. This is because a map shows the cartographer's bias as well as the purpose.
Maps are the result of conscious design decisions.
Cartographers decide how to generalize and symbolize what they are trying to show. They often generalize the data, simplifying the information so that the map is easier to read. In choosing the scale, mapmakers determine how large an area they can map and how much detail they can show. Cartography blends science and art. A beautiful map may become popular, even though it may be less accurate than a plainer version.