A Biblical Representation of the Earth: The Hereford Map

Hereford's world map, made at the end of the 13th century, represents the Earth as a disc surrounded by the ocean. This way of representing the world, by compiling various sources — historical, biblical or mythological — is characteristic of medieval cartographers. The map is not oriented towards the north but to the east, the supposed place of Paradise, represented here classically as an island surrounded by a wall of fire. In the centre, Jerusalem is surmounted by a cross; the Tower of Babel or Exodus is also shown. The lands described are populated by a large magical bestiary including dragons, salamanders, unicorns and griffins.