Between science and commercialism: Maps in a nineteenth century Hebrew journal

ABSTRACT

In July 1874, a map of the dateline was published in HaTzfira, a Hebrew journal printed in Warsaw. This was, most likely, the first map published in a Hebrew journal, and the text accompanying the map acknowledges the cartographic ignorance of the readers. During the years 1862–1885, 76 articles used the word “map” or inserted a map to append the text. By evaluating the images as well as the texts, this article explores the changing roles maps played in the journal’s visual and textual discourse, from a means to enlighten and educate the readers to yet another expression of the commodification and popularization of science. This is more than just a discussion about maps and map history, this is a discussion about journals, and their different functions in society.

KEYWORDS:

• Diffusion of scientific knowledge
• Hebrew
• history
• maps
• newspapers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).