To the ends of the Earth : how the greatest maps were made /Philip Parker.

"Discover how methods of mapping and surveying the world have evolved, from the ancient Roman groma, through naval and astronomical instruments such as the magnetic compass, astrolabes and sextants, to the revolution of aerial and satellite photography. From the earliest Babylonian maps carved in clay, to the very latest digital maps created via touchscreen, cartographic expert Philip Parker examines the key components of a map, longitude and latitude, the origins of having north at the top, and the various projections used to represent the Earth. With over 200 stunning maps and antique cartographic instruments, interludes on places that weren't really there, the contributions of key cartographers and the many purposes maps have been put to, To the Ends of the Earth covers every aspect of the map making process from the stone age to the digital age and tells the fascinating story of how we came to chart our world."--