In this blog post, we’ll explore how maps have influenced humanity’s spatial perception and technological advancement, examining the changes across different eras.
Maps have been used since ancient times because they are a highly useful means of human communication regarding the physical world. In the distant past, people likely used simple representations of spatial information drawn on clay, sand, or stone. While these early maps were very primitive compared to those of today, they served as important tools for humans to understand and communicate about space. The recording and transmission of spatial information went beyond simply indicating locations; it became an essential element for the survival and development of communities. The use of these early maps played a crucial role in broadening human geographical understanding and facilitating exchanges with other groups.
In Korea, spatial information has been confirmed in petroglyphs left by prehistoric people approximately 3,000 years ago, and a depiction of “Yeodong City” was discovered in Goguryeo murals. Various historical records also reveal that maps for military or administrative purposes were produced during the Three Kingdoms and Goryeo periods, though none of these have survived to the present day. Subsequently, as production techniques advanced and their uses diversified, maps underwent many transformations to reach their current form.
The maps that exist in Korea today were produced after the Joseon Dynasty. In the early Joseon period, the energy behind the founding of the Joseon Dynasty was expressed through various maps. For example, the “Map of the Unified Territories and Capitals Through the Ages,” produced in 1402, was a comprehensive map depicting the world at that time, ranging from China and Japan to Europe and Africa. This map was not created through actual surveying but was compiled by combining existing maps of the era, reflecting the aspirations of the people at the time who wished to affirm the emerging nation of Joseon within the global context. Such maps played a crucial role in shaping Joseon’s political and cultural identity and were also utilized as a means of visually representing the nation’s territory and authority.
In the late Joseon period, the development of woodblock printing led to the production of many woodblock-printed maps; these maps became larger in size, and the information depicted on them grew more detailed and abundant. However, most maps produced during the Joseon Dynasty were created with a government-centric focus and were primarily used as tools for governance and administration. The development of maps during this period contributed to strengthening the state’s centralized governing system and played a crucial role in effectively managing the characteristics and resources of each region.
After the opening of the ports, Western printing and cartographic techniques were introduced. During the Japanese colonial period, precise Western cartographic techniques were introduced primarily by the Japanese. They produced maps to exploit the Korean Peninsula, and in that sense, maps continued to serve as tools of governance and administration. The maps produced at that time recorded geographical information with precision and were used to identify the locations and potential uses of resources within the Korean Peninsula. This played a decisive role in strengthening Japan’s economic exploitation and military domination. It was not until after liberation that maps could finally be made available to the general public.
In recent years, with the widespread use of computers and the increase in computer storage capacity, computer-generated maps have advanced significantly. Computer-generated maps differ greatly from traditional paper maps in that they are digital maps. Digital maps utilize the same symbol systems as traditional maps but store various geographic data by classifying it into standardized codes. Digital maps are widely used in thematic maps such as land use maps, cadastral maps, underground utility maps, road maps, weather maps, and vegetation maps. The system that utilizes digital maps in this way is called a Geographic Information System (GIS). The development of GIS has brought innovation to the analysis and utilization of geographic information, playing a crucial role in various fields such as urban planning, environmental management, and disaster response.
As we have seen, maps have evolved gradually in response to the needs of each era. Maps contain diverse information about the spaces in which humans live, and this information holds significance for the lives of people in each era. The development of maps has also served as an important indicator reflecting the scientific and technological advancements, cultural backgrounds, and social demands of each era. Through various maps, we can learn not only about our own lives but also about the lives of people who lived in the distant past. Furthermore, we can encounter people living in places we have never visited and gain insight into their thoughts and ways of life. In this sense, maps can be described as a window to the world. When we use this window to understand the world and derive various meanings from it, a map becomes a thick book filled with diverse and rich information.
