cosmography

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Cosmography or cosmography ( Greek kósmos "universe", gráphein "to write") is the science of describing the earth and the universe. Until the 17th century, the term was used as a precursor or synonymous with geography (e.g. in the 7th century Ravenna cosmography ).

Medieval cosmography comprised the areas of geography, geology and astronomy . The work of the cosmographers contained historical, spiritual and moral-judgmental aspects. Cosmography explored the relationship between humans and their world; regions of the earth were described, among other things, as "malicious" or rather "salutary". Attempts were made to interpret the chances and risks of the inner nature of man through star constellations.

The famous cosmographers of the early modern period ( Mercator and others) increasingly developed cosmography in the direction of modern sciences: geography, surveying , cartography or astronomy. The first globes and cartographic representations of the then newly discovered continents date from this time (after 1500). Some of the cosmographers of the early 16th century had to defend themselves in their work against accusations of heretics by the Catholic Inquisition .

Famous cosmographers

See also: Aethicus

literature

  • Leo Bagrow , Raleigh A. Skelton: Masters of Cartography . 6th edition Mann Verlag, Berlin 1994, ISBN 3-7861-1732-2 .
  • Karl Heinz Burmeister : Sebastian Münster. Attempt to create an overall biographical picture (Basel Contributions to the Science of History; 91). New edition Helbing & Lichtenhahn, Basel 1969 (also dissertation, University of Mainz 1961).
  • Herma Kliege: Worldview and presentation practice of high medieval world maps . Nodus-Publ., Münster 1991, ISBN 3-89323-215-X .
  • Hartmut Kugler, Horst Appuhn (ed.): A world view before Columbus. The Ebstorf world map . VCH, Acta Humaniora, Weinheim 1991, ISBN 3-527-17670-5 .
  • Rudolf Simek : Earth and Cosmos in the Middle Ages. The physical worldview before Columbus . New edition Bechtermünz Verlag, Augsburg 1992, ISBN 3-8289-0379-7 .
  • Marcel Watelet (ed.): Gérad Mercator cosmographe. Le temps et l'espace . Mercator Paribas Fund, Antwerp 1994, ISBN 90-6153-314-7 .