Peter Whitfield traces the history of maritime charts and presents the reader with a range of artistic maps that owe more to man's achievements as a discoverer than technical drawing and draughtsmanship.

This book from the Peter Whitfield cartographic series traces the history of humankind's relation to the sea as revealed in ten centuries of maritime maps. Presenting sixty maps reproduced in color over double-page spreads, and commentary describing their special features and their significance in the history of navigation, the book explores ancient navigation; the Middle Ages and the Age of Discovery; the printed sea chart, 1600-1800; and the modern sea chart.

As in previous editions, the symbols used on paper nautical charts produced by NOAA and the NGA and digital raster representations of those charts, such as NOAA Raster Nautical Chart (NOAA RNC's), are presented in lettered sections organized in categories, such as Landmarks, Depths, and Lights.

This volume looks at the history and development of the chart and the related nautical map, in both scientific and aesthetic terms, as a means of safe and accurate seaborne navigation. Key figures or milestones in the history of charting are presented in stand-alone story box features.

With hundreds of beautiful full-color photographs and explanatory diagrams, charts, and maps, this volume combines the visual splendor of ocean life with up-to-date scientific information to provide an invaluable and fascinating resource on this vital realm.