- Title: The Geological Structure of the Globe
- Author: Johnston, W. & A.K.
- Date: 1855
- Medium: Chromolithograph with some hand color
- Condition: Uniformly aged paper, extremely minor foxing, very minor stains
- Inches: 24 1/4 x 20 [Image]
- Centimeters: 61.59 x 50.8 [Image]
- Product ID: 308052
This large map, drawn on Mercator's Projection, is a superb example of thematic mapping with various colors and diagrams used to illustrate the geological distributions throughout the world. A thematic map is one that portrays a geographic pattern of a certain subject matter that is not naturally visible like population, language, weather patterns. A key on the map delineates the six major categories identified by Ami Boué. At bottom one can glean the elevations of the worlds principal mountains and two inset maps depict "Directions of the Systems of Mountains as they appear at Milford” as well as “Illustrations of the Synchronism of Parallel Chains”. Also, the geography of the North and South poles is shown in their respective hemispheres. This chart is from the English version of Heinrich Berghaus' Physikalischer Atlas, the first truly complete thematic atlas. It is a very early example of printed color (with some hand color), the advent of which would prove to play a massive role in the portrayal of information on thematic maps of the period. Plate I from this large atlas. Engraved by W. & A.K. Johnston in Edinburgh.