How Early European Mapmakers Used Animals to Document the World

In his detailed map of Iceland, Abraham Ortelius depicted a number of terrestrial and aquatic animals, which were potential threats to humans.

Notice the fantastical creatures depicted in the waters south of Iceland. A bear-like fish has sharp, protruding teeth, while a winged fish on the left eats another smaller fish.

In the upper right-hand corner, polar bears dominate the scene. They scurry and wrestle over various blocks of broken ice.

The imminent dangers posed by the environment are emphasized by the explosive volcano Hekla at the center of the map.

Andreas Cellarius mapped the constellations of the southern hemisphere based on classical treatises and observations from 16th century Dutch explorers such as Pieter Keyser and Frederick de Houtman.

We can find "New World" creatures such as a chameleon about to enjoy a flying insect...

...or a toucan!

Alongside more classical figures such as the bull (taurus).

Many early mapmakers struggled with charting not only well-documented territories, but also areas to which few Europeans had travelled. Without reliable information, many mapmakers added creative embellishments and fictive geographical features to fill in the large stretches of unknown territory.

In this region outlined in green, cartographer Hendrik Hondius depicted the Chimay Lake, the fabled source of the Ganges River, which historians now know never existed.

Fear about the unknown and unexplored territories around the Indian Ocean is further highlighted by depictions of horn-playing mermen luring ships to their doom.

Animals were depicted on maps not only to highlight unique features of the environment, but also for their economic value.

Elephants on the right-hand side of this map of western Africa were considered important commodities because of their valuable ivory tusks.

Aquatic-legged cherubs in the lower left carry a giant tusk, further highlighting its importance in trade.