The Famous Map That Placed Jerusalem at the Center of the World
A map, any map, is a sort of mirror, reflecting the ideas and worldviews of its creators - the people of its time. This is especially true for ancient or antique maps. As a result, the common disregard reserved for these older maps, which often stems from their inaccuracy by our own modern scientific standards, tends to overlook the very purpose the map served, in the eyes of those who lived in its era.
Medieval Christian maps of the Land of Israel, which were originally drawn by hand before later appearing in printed form, are an excellent example. Religious fervor in Europe, combined with the large geographic distance from the Land of Israel, served to blur the connection between the idea of the Holy Land and more earthly realities, in the minds of Christian believers. These realities were replaced by images that portrayed the Land of Israel as paradise on Earth, or a place where the stories of the Bible are reenacted, over and over, until the end of time. Occasionally these portrayals were combined.
The small amount of authentic geographic information retained by Christendom - which lost hold of the Holy Land during the initial spread of Islam, before reconquering it and losing it again during the Crusades – was edited and manipulated in order to serve the heavenly image of the land.
Few works illustrate this as well as the "Clover Leaf Map".
A map, any map, is a sort of mirror, reflecting the ideas and worldviews of its creators - the people of its time. This is especially true for ancient or antique maps. As a result, the common disregard reserved for these older maps, which often stems from their inaccuracy by our own modern scientific standards, tends to overlook the very purpose the map served, in the eyes of those who lived in its era.
Medieval Christian maps of the Land of Israel, which were originally drawn by hand before later appearing in printed form, are an excellent example. Religious fervor in Europe, combined with the large geographic distance from the Land of Israel, served to blur the connection between the idea of the Holy Land and more earthly realities, in the minds of Christian believers. These realities were replaced by images that portrayed the Land of Israel as paradise on Earth, or a place where the stories of the Bible are reenacted, over and over, until the end of time. Occasionally these portrayals were combined.
The small amount of authentic geographic information retained by Christendom - which lost hold of the Holy Land during the initial spread of Islam, before reconquering it and losing it again during the Crusades – was edited and manipulated in order to serve the heavenly image of the land.
Few works illustrate this as well as the "Clover Leaf Map".
A map, any map, is a sort of mirror, reflecting the ideas and worldviews of its creators - the people of its time. This is especially true for ancient or antique maps. As a result, the common disregard reserved for these older maps, which often stems from their inaccuracy by our own modern scientific standards, tends to overlook the very purpose the map served, in the eyes of those who lived in its era.
Medieval Christian maps of the Land of Israel, which were originally drawn by hand before later appearing in printed form, are an excellent example. Religious fervor in Europe, combined with the large geographic distance from the Land of Israel, served to blur the connection between the idea of the Holy Land and more earthly realities, in the minds of Christian believers. These realities were replaced by images that portrayed the Land of Israel as paradise on Earth, or a place where the stories of the Bible are reenacted, over and over, until the end of time. Occasionally these portrayals were combined.
The small amount of authentic geographic information retained by Christendom - which lost hold of the Holy Land during the initial spread of Islam, before reconquering it and losing it again during the Crusades – was edited and manipulated in order to serve the heavenly image of the land.
Few works illustrate this as well as the "Clover Leaf Map".
Even proud Jerusalemites must occasionally admit that Jerusalem isn't actually the center of the world, at least in geographic terms. After all, what does the concept of a "center" even mean when we are discussing a globe? But in Christian imagination during the Middle Ages, Jerusalem was in fact the center of the world. This is why the Protestant cartographer and theologian Heinrich Bünting placed Jerusalem at the center of his famous Clover Leaf Map, a sacred place of honor for the Holy City.
The map depicts the world in the shape of a clover. Its three leaves sprout from its center, where Jerusalem is featured prominently, each leaf representing one of the three "ancient" continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Each continent was given its own color: Europe is colored red, Asia green and Africa yellow. Between Asia and Africa, the Red Sea is also marked in red. At the top of the map the artist drew two islands, representing England and Denmark. In the bottom left corner, we see the continent of America, described as "The New World". Its peripheral placement reflects its absence from holy scripture.
Even proud Jerusalemites must occasionally admit that Jerusalem isn't actually the center of the world, at least in geographic terms. After all, what does the concept of a "center" even mean when we are discussing a globe? But in Christian imagination during the Middle Ages, Jerusalem was in fact the center of the world. This is why the Protestant cartographer and theologian Heinrich Bünting placed Jerusalem at the center of his famous Clover Leaf Map, a sacred place of honor for the Holy City.
The map depicts the world in the shape of a clover. Its three leaves sprout from its center, where Jerusalem is featured prominently, each leaf representing one of the three "ancient" continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Each continent was given its own color: Europe is colored red, Asia green and Africa yellow. Between Asia and Africa, the Red Sea is also marked in red. At the top of the map the artist drew two islands, representing England and Denmark. In the bottom left corner, we see the continent of America, described as "The New World". Its peripheral placement reflects its absence from holy scripture.
Even proud Jerusalemites must occasionally admit that Jerusalem isn't actually the center of the world, at least in geographic terms. After all, what does the concept of a "center" even mean when we are discussing a globe? But in Christian imagination during the Middle Ages, Jerusalem was in fact the center of the world. This is why the Protestant cartographer and theologian Heinrich Bünting placed Jerusalem at the center of his famous Clover Leaf Map, a sacred place of honor for the Holy City.
The map depicts the world in the shape of a clover. Its three leaves sprout from its center, where Jerusalem is featured prominently, each leaf representing one of the three "ancient" continents: Europe, Asia and Africa. Each continent was given its own color: Europe is colored red, Asia green and Africa yellow. Between Asia and Africa, the Red Sea is also marked in red. At the top of the map the artist drew two islands, representing England and Denmark. In the bottom left corner, we see the continent of America, described as "The New World". Its peripheral placement reflects its absence from holy scripture.
Bünting designed the map in the shape of a clover, like the symbol of his birthplace, the city of Hannover in Germany. This shape also served as a symbol of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The first edition of the Cover Leaf Map was published in 1581, and since then many versions have been distributed. The National Library of Israel preserves one of the original copies, published in 1585.
Bünting designed the map in the shape of a clover, like the symbol of his birthplace, the city of Hannover in Germany. This shape also served as a symbol of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The first edition of the Cover Leaf Map was published in 1581, and since then many versions have been distributed. The National Library of Israel preserves one of the original copies, published in 1585.
Bünting designed the map in the shape of a clover, like the symbol of his birthplace, the city of Hannover in Germany. This shape also served as a symbol of the Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The first edition of the Cover Leaf Map was published in 1581, and since then many versions have been distributed. The National Library of Israel preserves one of the original copies, published in 1585.
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tab1img1=The Bünting Clover Leaf Map, a photograph of a copy from 1585, held at the National Library of Israel
tab2img3=Jerusalem in the Clover Leaf Map. Three crosses mark Calvary Hill, the site of Jesus' crucifixion according to Christian tradition
tab3img3=America in the Clover Leaf Map. A new world, perhaps, but a peripheral one nonetheless
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