Databases of Cartographic Images
One relational database
has been created for each period: Ancient, Early Medieval, Late Medieval and
Renaissance. Basically they are my futile attempt to capture, in one place, all
of the significant information that I could find pertaining to each illustration
for easy and quick reference. This information usually includes: a description
of what geographical featrures and/or concepts are being displayed; pertinent
historical background information; the known location of the image; references
used/consulted; the actual size of the image; and anything else that I thought
was interesting relative to the map in question. The choice of which
cartographic images are included is purely personal. The sequence is basically
chronological according to the date of either the illustration, a "scholarly
estimate" or, if is a reproduction, facsimile, reconstruction or interpretive
re-drawing it is placed within the same time frame of the original; although you
will notice this is often deviated from in order to group certain maps into my
own sense of logic.
The databases have been developed using Claris'
FileMaker Pro 4.0 relational database software. Each illustration exists
as a 35mm slide transparency and has been transferred to Kodak Photo Compact
Disks (CDs). These illustrations were then imported into the FileMaker
databases. Each database ranges in size between 50 MB(Ancient) to 200-450 MB
(Late Medieval/Renaissance) and are easily stored on 100 MB Iomega Zip
disks.
Copies of these databases, still under development, are available upon
request for the cost of a Zip disk.