CARTOGRAFIA ISTORICĂ ÎN SECOLUL AL XIX-LEA. KARL SPRUNER VON MERZ (1803-1892) ŞI AL SĂU HISTORISCH – GEOGRAPHISCHER HAND-ATLAS: ATLAS ANTIQUUS

• Main Author: FLORIN-GHEORGHE FODOREAN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Romanian Academy 2015-05-01
• Series: Geographia Napocensis
• Subjects: cartografia secolului al XIX/lea; spaţiu geografic al lumii vechi; editura Justus Perthes; atlase istorice
• Online Access: http://geographianapocensis.acad-cluj.ro/Revista/volume/nr_1_2015/pdf/Fodorean.pdf
• ISSN: 1843-5920; 1844-9840

The historical cartography in the 19th century: Karl Spruner von Merz (1803-1892) and his Historisch - geographischer Hand-Atlas: Atlas antiquus. The historical atlases publish during the 19th century have changed the level of knowledge of the people regarding the ancient geographical space. The present study focuses on the activity of Karl Spruner von Merz (1803-1892), one of the most important cartographers of the 19th, close collaborator of the famous Justus Perthes’s publishing house in Germany. In 1855, the first section of the atlas edited by Karl Spruner was published: Historisch - geographischer Hand-Atlas: Atlas antiquus, Justus Perthes Verlag, Gotha, 1855. The first section of the atlas included only four pages of texts and commentaries. The atlas was published in three editions. The third one is entitled Spruner-Menke atlas antiquus. Karoli Spruneri opus. Tertio edidit, Theodorus Menke. Gothae: Sumtibus Justi Perthes, anno MDCCCLXV. Thirty-one maps were published. Many of the maps published in this atlas represent a mix of data gathered from ancient geographical sources. By comparing the information from these maps, one can establish the level of modern knowledge regarding the geographical space of the ancient regions of the world.