The Unusual Projection for One of John Dee’s Maps of 1580

Abstract

A brief description is given of the cartographic activity of John Dee, which involved the production of at least three manuscript maps in the years 1580–1583 in connection with exploration and imperial ambitions. The form of an idealized version of the unusual projection used in one of the maps dated 1580 is discussed and it is shown how it may be considered to be related to projections developed between antiquity and 1551. The precise form of Dee’s projection is investigated and the possible reasons why he adopted it are considered.

Keywords:

• map projections
• manuscript map
• John Dee

I would like to thank an anonymous referee for a number of suggestions for material now incorporated in the text and in Note 1.