A selection of 17th-19th century French manuscript maps, via MakingMaps (unearthed  by Gabrielle Ferrer and posted by Zachary “Facebook > Tumblr” Sachs).

Looking at working maps—manuscripts, field sketches, and provisional maps—reveals a diversity of symbolization and design which are lost in the monoculture of finished, standardized maps.

HistCarto brings together more than 4000 17th-19th century French manuscript maps. All are working maps, and most are hand drawn. Most contain signs of assessment:

These “signs of assessment” include textual commentaries or the addition of symbols, which provide some indication of the ways the maps were made or the uses to which they were put in an administrative or military capacity.

Map symbols and topics shown here include prehistoric sites, farm fields, trees and forests, rivers, hunting grounds, geology, terrain, and property parcels.

N.B., ZBS: Until I can “reblog” your posts in Tumblr, I have no choice but to steal them.