The Great Lakes of Africa
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The Map Collector
The Map Collector, initiated by Peter Scott and Valerie G. Newby, was a journal on historical cartography published every quarter. The first issue appeared in 1997 and continued for nearly 20 years. After 74 issues the last copy appeared in Spring 1996. Mrs. Valerie G. Newby, is presently editor of the IMCoS Journal.www.imcos.org
By The Map Collector
Published on 1 June 1979
by R.V. Tooley
Africa or its northern littoral and the Nile Valley was known to the ancients. The world was imagined as a circle divided into zones - frigid, temperate hot, temperate frigid. The known world was placed in the temperate zone below which was the hot zone of impenetrable and uninhabitable desert.
Alternatively, philosophers divided the world into segments within a circle, half being occupied by Asia and a quarter each by Europe and Africa, the Mediterannean and the Great Sea dividing the three continents. Numerous examples of both these zonal and tripartite maps exist in various manuscripts. The oldest printed map of the world illustrated a work by Saint Isidore of Seville, 1472.
Africa or its northern littoral and the Nile Valley was known to the ancients. The world was imagined as a circle divided into zones - frigid, temperate hot, temperate frigid. The known world was placed in the temperate zone below which was the hot zone of impenetrable and uninhabitable desert.
Alternatively, philosophers divided the world into segments within a circle, half being occupied by Asia and a quarter each by Europe and Africa, the Mediterannean and the Great Sea dividing the three continents. Numerous examples of both these zonal and tripartite maps exist in various manuscripts. The oldest printed map of the world illustrated a work by Saint Isidore of Seville, 1472.
By R.V. Tooley
AFRICA OR ITS northern littoral and the Nile Valley was known to the ancients. The world was imagined as a circle divided into zones - frigid, temperate hot, temperate frigid. The known world was placed in the temperate zone below which was the hot zone of impenetrable and uninhabitable desert.
Alternatively, philosophers divided the world into segments within a circle, half being occupied by Asia and a quarter each by Europe and Africa, the Mediterannean and the Great Sea dividing the three continents. Numerous examples of both these zonal and tripartite maps exist in various manuscripts. The oldest printed map of the world illustrated a work by Saint Isidore of Seville, 1472.
The oldest printed map is by St Isidore of Seville and was published in 1472.
It represents the world as a circle with the Mediterranean and the Great Seas dividing it into segments occupied by the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa.
The Nile was one of the famous rivers of antiquity but its source was unknown. Ptolemy, the geographer of Alexandria postulated a river having its source in two great lakes, Zaire and Zafflan, fed by waters from the mountains of the moon. So great was the renown of Ptolemy that his erroneous idea persisted right down to the eighteenth century being used, among others, by Homann and Seutter who both show lakes Zaire and Zafflan and place the source of the Nile even further south, equidistant between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, Paez' discovery of the source of the Blue Nile in 1596 being ignored. Also, some cartographers hedged their bets by continuing to show the lakes as well as Paez' discovery. Allard's map of Africa circa 1690 is a good example, showing a chevron-shaped remnant of the Ptolemaic rivers flowing between the two great lakes. A further alteration by some geographers showed the Congo flowing into the Nile.
The ptolemaic concept of a great African river, having its source in two great lakes, Zaire and Zafflan, fed by waters from the Mountains of the Moon, is illustrated in Waldseemuller's map of South Africa published in 1513.
The New World or America discovered in 1492, had its five great lakes in the interior mapped by the seventeenth century. The ancient continent of Africa had to wait until the mid-nineteenth century before the Great Lakes of its interior were delineated.
The Great Lakes are 'Tanganyika,' discovered by Richard Burton and John Banning Speke in 1858; 'Victoria Nyanza' seen by Speke in 1858; 'Lake Nyassa' by Dr. Livingstone 1859 and 'Albert Nyanza' by Baker 1864 and the lesser lakes of 'Moero,' 'Bangweolo' and 'Rudolph.'
The first of the African lakes to be noted was Lake Tanganyika which was given the name Lake Maravi. It began to be shown on most maps in the latter part of the eighteenth century but its size and direction were not known. The majority of French cartographers drew the lake leaning to the right as in this section from de Vaugondy's map of Africa 1756.
The great French geographers, Guillaume de L'Isle and Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d' Anville began the reform of geography by discarding heresay and delineating only recorded fact. So, maps that had previously shown an interior covered with supposed rivers, mountain chains and coastal place names engraved inwards to give a crowded effect, now showed interiors almost completely blank.
The first of the lakes to be noted was Lake Tanganyika. Reports of a large inland lake gradually received credence and this inland water was given the name of Lake Maravi. It began to be shown on most maps in the latter part of the eighteenth century but its size and direction was not known.
AFRICA OR ITS northern littoral and the Nile Valley was known to the ancients. The world was imagined as a circle divided into zones - frigid, temperate hot, temperate frigid. The known world was placed in the temperate zone below which was the hot zone of impenetrable and uninhabitable desert.
Alternatively, philosophers divided the world into segments within a circle, half being occupied by Asia and a quarter each by Europe and Africa, the Mediterannean and the Great Sea dividing the three continents. Numerous examples of both these zonal and tripartite maps exist in various manuscripts. The oldest printed map of the world illustrated a work by Saint Isidore of Seville, 1472.
The oldest printed map is by St Isidore of Seville and was published in 1472.
It represents the world as a circle with the Mediterranean and the Great Seas dividing it into segments occupied by the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa.
The Nile was one of the famous rivers of antiquity but its source was unknown. Ptolemy, the geographer of Alexandria postulated a river having its source in two great lakes, Zaire and Zafflan, fed by waters from the mountains of the moon. So great was the renown of Ptolemy that his erroneous idea persisted right down to the eighteenth century being used, among others, by Homann and Seutter who both show lakes Zaire and Zafflan and place the source of the Nile even further south, equidistant between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, Paez' discovery of the source of the Blue Nile in 1596 being ignored. Also, some cartographers hedged their bets by continuing to show the lakes as well as Paez' discovery. Allard's map of Africa circa 1690 is a good example, showing a chevron-shaped remnant of the Ptolemaic rivers flowing between the two great lakes. A further alteration by some geographers showed the Congo flowing into the Nile.
The ptolemaic concept of a great African river, having its source in two great lakes, Zaire and Zafflan, fed by waters from the Mountains of the Moon, is illustrated in Waldseemuller's map of South Africa published in 1513.
The New World or America discovered in 1492, had its five great lakes in the interior mapped by the seventeenth century. The ancient continent of Africa had to wait until the mid-nineteenth century before the Great Lakes of its interior were delineated.
The Great Lakes are 'Tanganyika,' discovered by Richard Burton and John Banning Speke in 1858; 'Victoria Nyanza' seen by Speke in 1858; 'Lake Nyassa' by Dr. Livingstone 1859 and 'Albert Nyanza' by Baker 1864 and the lesser lakes of 'Moero,' 'Bangweolo' and 'Rudolph.'
The first of the African lakes to be noted was Lake Tanganyika which was given the name Lake Maravi. It began to be shown on most maps in the latter part of the eighteenth century but its size and direction were not known. The majority of French cartographers drew the lake leaning to the right as in this section from de Vaugondy's map of Africa 1756.
The great French geographers, Guillaume de L'Isle and Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d' Anville began the reform of geography by discarding heresay and delineating only recorded fact. So, maps that had previously shown an interior covered with supposed rivers, mountain chains and coastal place names engraved inwards to give a crowded effect, now showed interiors almost completely blank.
The first of the lakes to be noted was Lake Tanganyika. Reports of a large inland lake gradually received credence and this inland water was given the name of Lake Maravi. It began to be shown on most maps in the latter part of the eighteenth century but its size and direction was not known.
De Fer, in 1715, shows a short fat swamp or lake unnamed, de L'Isle in 1722 a long narrow lake running due north and south and in this he was followed by the English geographer Emanuel Bowen in 1747.
But the majority of French cartographers drew Lake Maravi (Tanganyika) leaning at an acute angle to the right. This was the form adopted by D'Anville 1727, Nolin 1754, Vaugondy 1756, Janvier 1784 and Delamarche 1820. Brue in 1834 used the same shape but with a dotted or hypothetical outline and he also added the words 'Lake Zambre.'
In England the same delineation was used by Cary 1811, Thomson 1816, Hall 1829, Gilbert 1847, Black 1854 and Johnston circa 1860.
Some of the best maps of the period were publ ished by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. They were deservedly popular and were constantly revised with the latest information in succeeding editions. In the 1839 edition (above left) they showed Lake Zewa or Maravi leaning to the left. In the 1845 edition, publ ished by Charles Knight (above right) Lake Maravi disappears and its place is taken by an open-ended lake now named Lake Nyassa or the Sea .
Some of the best maps of the period were published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Typical of the period, they showed Central and South Africa almost completely blank. Of medium size, (roughly 315 x 310mm) they were deservedly popular and were constantly revised with the latest information in succeeding editions.
In the 1839 edition they showed Lake Zewa or Maravi leaning to the left. In the 1845 edition published by Charles Knight, Lake Maravi disappears and its place is taken by an open-ended lake now named Lake Nyassa or the Sea. The same shape was used by Lowry about the same time and was followed by the geographer Hall about 1840, by Black in 1854 and by Fullarton 1864.
John Arrowsmith in 1857 was one of the first to use the name Lake Tanganyika.
As usual, it was the French who introduced theoretical geography with some of the most curious formations for the inland lakes. Dufour's map of 1860 (above) left) shows one enormous inland sea according to the natives named Ubereww and Schnitzler published in Strassburg in 1861, another map (above right) showing a Lake Oubereve or Victoria Nyanza with a small Lake Maravi beneath and Lake Tanganyi ka to the right.
The discoveries of Speke and Burton, Speke and Grant, Baker and Livingstone, took some time to reach England and even longer before they were engraved, printed and generally diffused.
As usual it was the French who introduced theoretical geography with some of the most curious formations for the inland lakes.
Dufour's map of 1860 shows one enormous inland sea according to the natives, named Ukerewee and Schnitzler, 1860, in Strassburg published another map showing a Lake Oukereve or Victoria Nyanza with a small Lake Maravi beneath and Tanganyika to the right.
Speke's map of 1863 shows a completed Lake Tanganyika, Victoria Nyanza and Little Luta Nzige Lake (Dead Coast lake). Weller's map of about 1860 shows Lake Tanganyika, the southern half of Lake Nyanza, part of Lake Nyassa and Lake Shirwa. A later edition completes Victoria Nyanza and adds an uncertain Albert Nyanza. A similar map was given by Andriveau Goujon in Paris with Albert Nyanza greatly enlarged.
The mapping of the area, or rather printed representations of it, was completed in the 70s.
The discoveries of Speke and Burton, Speke and Grant, Baker and Livingstone, took some time to reach England and even longer before they were engraved, printed and generally diffused. Speke's map of 1863, illustrated above, shows a completed Lake Tanganyika, Victoria Nyanza and Little Lake Luta Nzige (Dead Coast Lake).
COPYRIGHT June 1979 The Map Collector, All rights reserved.
No portion of this article nor the accompanying illustrations can or may be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
But the majority of French cartographers drew Lake Maravi (Tanganyika) leaning at an acute angle to the right. This was the form adopted by D'Anville 1727, Nolin 1754, Vaugondy 1756, Janvier 1784 and Delamarche 1820. Brue in 1834 used the same shape but with a dotted or hypothetical outline and he also added the words 'Lake Zambre.'
In England the same delineation was used by Cary 1811, Thomson 1816, Hall 1829, Gilbert 1847, Black 1854 and Johnston circa 1860.
Some of the best maps of the period were publ ished by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. They were deservedly popular and were constantly revised with the latest information in succeeding editions. In the 1839 edition (above left) they showed Lake Zewa or Maravi leaning to the left. In the 1845 edition, publ ished by Charles Knight (above right) Lake Maravi disappears and its place is taken by an open-ended lake now named Lake Nyassa or the Sea .
Some of the best maps of the period were published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Typical of the period, they showed Central and South Africa almost completely blank. Of medium size, (roughly 315 x 310mm) they were deservedly popular and were constantly revised with the latest information in succeeding editions.
In the 1839 edition they showed Lake Zewa or Maravi leaning to the left. In the 1845 edition published by Charles Knight, Lake Maravi disappears and its place is taken by an open-ended lake now named Lake Nyassa or the Sea. The same shape was used by Lowry about the same time and was followed by the geographer Hall about 1840, by Black in 1854 and by Fullarton 1864.
John Arrowsmith in 1857 was one of the first to use the name Lake Tanganyika.
As usual, it was the French who introduced theoretical geography with some of the most curious formations for the inland lakes. Dufour's map of 1860 (above) left) shows one enormous inland sea according to the natives named Ubereww and Schnitzler published in Strassburg in 1861, another map (above right) showing a Lake Oubereve or Victoria Nyanza with a small Lake Maravi beneath and Lake Tanganyi ka to the right.
The discoveries of Speke and Burton, Speke and Grant, Baker and Livingstone, took some time to reach England and even longer before they were engraved, printed and generally diffused.
As usual it was the French who introduced theoretical geography with some of the most curious formations for the inland lakes.
Dufour's map of 1860 shows one enormous inland sea according to the natives, named Ukerewee and Schnitzler, 1860, in Strassburg published another map showing a Lake Oukereve or Victoria Nyanza with a small Lake Maravi beneath and Tanganyika to the right.
Speke's map of 1863 shows a completed Lake Tanganyika, Victoria Nyanza and Little Luta Nzige Lake (Dead Coast lake). Weller's map of about 1860 shows Lake Tanganyika, the southern half of Lake Nyanza, part of Lake Nyassa and Lake Shirwa. A later edition completes Victoria Nyanza and adds an uncertain Albert Nyanza. A similar map was given by Andriveau Goujon in Paris with Albert Nyanza greatly enlarged.
The mapping of the area, or rather printed representations of it, was completed in the 70s.
The discoveries of Speke and Burton, Speke and Grant, Baker and Livingstone, took some time to reach England and even longer before they were engraved, printed and generally diffused. Speke's map of 1863, illustrated above, shows a completed Lake Tanganyika, Victoria Nyanza and Little Lake Luta Nzige (Dead Coast Lake).
COPYRIGHT June 1979 The Map Collector, All rights reserved.
No portion of this article nor the accompanying illustrations can or may be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.