Babylonian Map Of The World

Even in today's environment, where we frequently rely on Google Maps for our travels, maps are quite important. In 2300 BC, a Babylonian cartographer drew the first map of the world on a clay tablet. A little area of Babylonia during the Akkadian Empire is seen on the map. It depicts commerce routes and serves as a guide for military operations, hunting expeditions, and exploration. Circular in shape, the Babylonian Map of the World shows mountains, rivers, canals, and swamps. The seven little circles on the map stand in for the seven cities of ancient Babylon. Currently, it is housed in the British Museum.

The Euphrates River, which runs from north to south in the center of the map (bottom). On the Euphrates, at the top half of the map, is where Babylon is located. The Euphrates' mouth is designated as a "swamp" and an "outflow." The locations of Susa, the capital of Elam, Urartu, and the erroneously located Habban, the capital of the Kassites, are shown on the map. A circle-shaped "bitter river" or ocean surrounds Mesopotamia, and seven or eight other "regions," which are represented as triangular parts, are shown to be located beyond the ocean. It has been hypothesized that the fact that these "regions" are represented as triangles may mean that they were originally thought of as mountains.

This map places the city of Babylon in the middle and depicts the world and the skies from the perspective of the Babylonians themselves. As other civilizations had done with Athens or Jerusalem, Babylon was placed in the center because it was the center of life for the thousands of people who lived there. Without the aid of contemporary technologies like satellites, map-making tools, and dependable long-distance transportation, this was the only perspective they had. Though it may be imperfect, this little tablet provides a glimpse into their worldview and ideals.