Utrecht 2019
Controlling the Waters: Seas, Lakes and Rivers on Historic Maps and Charts - Case Studies from the Lowlands, Europe and the World over the last 500 years
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Utrecht University Library, Special Collections
28th International Conference on the History of Cartography
Fresh and salt waters are a key lifeline for all civilizations but at the same time can also threaten human habitats. Over the centuries, people have ventured out to navigate and explore the waters, while also putting systems in place to manage and control them. This has resulted in numerous categories of water-related maps such as portolan charts, maritime and river cartography, hydrographic surveys, VOC charts, polder maps etc. The workshop will offer a forum to discuss this rich variety in cartographic heritage.
There will be a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Bram Vannieuwenhuyze (University of Amsterdam) on the display of waterways on sixteenth century town plans of the Netherlands. The workshop will also be complemented by a special map exhibition from the map collection of the Utrecht University Library. Water management has played an integral role in the history of the Netherlands. For centuries the country has been crusading against sea and river water that threatens to flood the valuable land from all sides. This rich tradition has left a considerable legacy of early and rare cartographic publications, with the dynamics of the landscape being showcased on old maps, for instance of water control boards. The Utrecht University Library has a large collection of these early printed works, atlases and maps, which paint a telling picture of the – often difficult – relationship the Netherlands have with water. Some prime examples will be on display during the workshop.
Utrecht Science Park (Uithof)
University Library, Boothzaal and Map Collection
E-mail: demhardt@uta.edu