Why the Map Matters
A map, when explored in detail, can provide a deeper understanding of the cultural, political, and economic situation of a given area. By synthesizing the details of our map alongside the recorded history of the time, each symbol, color, and word on the map starts to gain a deeper context and importance. This context then allows for the map to function as a primary source, providing insights into how people viewed the landscape at the time, both physically and symbolically. By studying our map in this way, as if it were a 'text' and, thus, by doing a 'close reading' of its cultural, political, and economic importance, one can come to better understand 1600s Bombay, a complex era in this city's rich history.
"Cognitive psychology has shown that the mind best understands facts when they are woven into a conceptual fabric, such as a map." - Steven Pinker, Harvard Professor of Psychology
This specific map of Bombay is from The Blathwayt Atlas, a collection of 48 maps assembled between 1680 and 1685, primarily focused on agriculture and trade. The map is also one of the few surviving primary sources from when Britain took control of Bombay, a time that marks a turning point for the city of Bombay, as well as, the entire British Empire. When studied through a visual lens, the map can provide insight into Bombay's role as the major port of India and why this port was so influential to the cultural, political, and economic history of the region.
