Terrae Incognitae

Journal overview

Terrae Incognitae is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal published for the Society for the History of Discoveries. The aim is to examine the history and impact of geographic exploration and cross-cultural interaction around the globe prior to the modern era. Each issue includes an expansive book review section. Recent articles have ranged from the use of DNA technology to track the movement of chickens and thus populations in pre-historic Oceania to the role of the Order of Christ in furthering 16th-century Portuguese expansion; from the significance of inter-cultural adoption or rejection of clothing for understanding cross-cultural interaction to Marco Polo’s influence on cartography.

Terrae Incognitae accepts contributions relating to geographic exploration and its impact from all chronologies before the modern era and relating to any part of the globe. The journal welcomes comparative and interdisciplinary studies as well as those focused on a particular time or place.

The origin of geographic discovery and exploration is lost to the mist of time—perhaps when an early hominid went searching for game and discovered another group of humans. Geographic discovery is about more than the moment of discovery, however. It is about theoretical geography put into practice; it is about bankrolling expeditions, whether through the investment of wealthy widows, old age pensions, financiers, or governments; it is about maps and mapmakers; it is about diplomats, missionaries, explorers, scallywags and pirates, naturalists, and merchant-adventurers. Geographic discovery is about people broadening their horizons, encountering one another for the first time, struggling to understand a foreign culture, and braving the unknown in search of a new destiny.

Authors can choose to publish gold open access in this journal.

Read the Instructions for Authors for information on how to submit your article.

Read full aims and scope