2. INTRODUCTION
•
The art of describing or mapping a region or
district.
•
A description or map of a region.
• The physical conformation and
features of such a region.
3. HISTORY
• Chorography is a term deriving from the
writings of the ancient geographer Pomponius
Mela and Ptolemy, meaning the geographical
description of regions.
•Concepts of chorography have been associated
with a type of visual literacy
through imagery offering a qualitative mapping of
place and region.
4. DEFNITIONS
•Richard Helgerson states that "chorography defines itself
by opposition to chronicle. It is the genre devoted to
place, and chronicle is the genre devoted to time.”
•Darrell Rohl prefers a broad definition of "the
representation of space or place”.
5. 1780- A chorographical mapsemiotic northernspecific
1780- A chorographical map of the mapping of department of NorthChorography is the qualitative and of the northern department
America place and its
of region or America elements,
North
Chorography is a pre-disciplinary tradition with
More Definitions
firm roots in classical antiquity.
Renaissance revival[edit]
Ptolemy's text was rediscovered
west
In Casey’s view, in thewhichatisthe beginning ofchorographica.century,Dee inthespatialthephilosophiesscholars.of Geographie", by whichsmall-scale[plan of Britain in
place labelled atabula the fifteenth John by 1570 regarded practice revivedunderling, and aduring instance is a the "plat" map or drawing]
was overcome and term "chorography" was as "an byhumanist twig An early
an early fifteenth-century manuscript,
of a particular place would be exhibited to the eye.
theWilliam Camden
eighteenth
Its nameto localused,century onward. Casey arguesBritain) wasthewriter, whoCamden's Britannia (first edition 1586), which described itself the
ishowever, forstories, into a text. The most influentialregions were least in for byprobablyre-establishment of place, and
Greek: χωρογραφία William
(chorographia),
The term also came be
historical sources,kind
callstitle page asaa Chorographica of post modernregions.described hisof(at"Description of Britaine"the an exercise inthen combined localre-presented of on
for and knowledge and written descriptions ofsimilarly These example mapped (chorographic) topographical description, summaries
course own extensively visited as
historical/chronological text Holinshed's Chronicles(to
the
formed introductory
asplace, allowingofdescriptio. WilliamtheHarrisonwhichgave "Description"Pausanias'sanvisiblesection). centuryHeylynCamden'sdefined chorography as "thefrom the Descrittione di tutti
aits combinationin 1587 asbecome Description of(chora,1652 Britannia (1586); Lodovicoit Guicciardini's or
of χώρα Greece (2nd Peter AD); in chorography, distinguishing exact description of some
‘country’)
Kingdom, Countrey, or particular Province of
same", and
the invisible to examples (1550).
.
i Paesi Bassi (1567) (on the Low Countries); and Leandro Alberti's Descrizione d'Italia
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
χῶρος (choros, ‘space or place’) + γραφια
(graphia, ‘writing’). While most modern
definitions defined by Ptolemy in 149 AD, is a form of visual meaning
emphasize chora+graphia,
Chorography, as
‘writing about a country orattributes of place and region.
literacy qualitatively describing the inherent region’,
[8]
Camden's Britannia was predominantly concerned with the history and antiquities of Britain, and, probably as a result, the term chorography in English came to be particularly associated
with antiquarian texts. William Lambarde, John Stow, John Hooker, Michael Drayton, Tristram Risdon, John Aubrey and many others used it in this way, arising from a gentlemanly topophilia and a
sense of service to one's county or city, until it was eventually often applied to the genre of county history. A late example was William Grey'sChorographia (1649), a survey of the antiquities of the city
of Newcastle upon Tyne. Even before Camden's work appeared, Andrew Melville in 1574 had referred to chorography and chronology as the "twa lights" [two lights] ofhistory.[9]
Example of Christopher Saxton's cartography.
However, the term also continued to be used for maps and map-making, particularly of sub-national or county areas. William Camden praised the county mapmakersChristopher Saxton and John
Norden as "most skilfull Chorographers";[10] and Robert Plot in 1677[11] and Christopher Packe in 1743[12] both referred to their county maps as chorographies.
By the beginning of the eighteenth century the term had largely fallen out of use in all these contexts, being superseded for most purposes by either "topography" or "cartography". Samuel Johnson in
his Dictionary (1755) made a distinction between geography, chorography and topography, arguing that geography dealt with large areas, topography with small areas, but chorography with mediumsized areas, being "less in its object than geography, and greater than topography".[13] In practice, however, the term is only rarely found in English by this date.
Ferdinand von Richhofen
Modern usages[edit]
Ptolemy categorically stated chorography could only be rendered by a skilled artist,
Translate graphia more broadly as
designating chorography to be a pictorial representation rather than written text.
‘representation’, with choros rather than chora;
thus, in the simplest terms, I define
chorography as ‘the representation of space or
place.
In more technical geographical literature, the term had been abandoned as city views andcity maps became more and more sophisticated and demanded a set of skills that required not only skilled
draftsmanship but also some knowledge of scientific surveying. However, its use was revived for a second time in the late nineteenth century by the geographerFerdinand von Richthofen. He regarded
chorography as a specialization within geography, comprising the description through field observation of the particular traits of a given area.[14]
The term is also now widely used by historians and literary scholars to refer to the early modern genre of topographical and antiquarian literature.[15]
11. DESCRIPTION
State/ Province:New York
Published in January 1st 1779
Scale 1:335,400
The last and best of the large scale surveys of the
American Colonies before the Revolution.
Military grants outline colored in red.
12. DESCRIPTION
Includes text and advertisement.
Manors in green
Townships in yellow.
Relief shown by hachures.
Endless interesting detail.
13. Leonardo da vinci - Chorographical map
of Tuscany and the neighboring-regions
14. 1780- A chorographical mapsemiotic northernspecific
1780- A chorographical map of the mapping of department of NorthChorography is the qualitative and of the northern department
America place and its
of region or America elements,
North
Chorography is a pre-disciplinary tradition with
A chorographical map of the
firmRenaissance revival[edit] in classical antiquity.
roots
Province of New-York in North
Ptolemy's text was rediscovered in counties, the fifteenth
and
byhumanist
An early instance is a
map
America, early fifteenth-centuryintothewhichatisthe beginning ofchorographica.century,Dee inthe term "chorography" was revivedunderling, andscholars.of Geographie", by whichsmall-scale[plan of Britain in
divided manuscript, west labelled atabula
an
John
1570 regarded the practice as "an
a twig
the "plat"
or drawing]
of a particular place would be exhibited to the eye.
manors, William Camden and townships;
patents
[4]
[5]
[6]
Its name is Greek: χωρογραφία (chorographia),
as a combination of
Exhibiting likewise all the private χώρα (chora, ‘country’) or
grants of land made and located in
χῶρος (choros, ‘space or place’) + γραφια
that Province;
(graphia, ‘writing’). While most modern
definitions emphasize chora+graphia, meaning
Compiled from actual surveys
‘writing about a country or region’,
The term also came to be used, however, for written descriptions of regions. These regions were extensively visited by the writer, who then combined local topographical description, summaries of the
historical sources, and local knowledge and stories, into a text. The most influential example (at least in Britain) was probably William Camden's Britannia (first edition 1586), which described itself on
its title page as a Chorographica descriptio. William Harrison in 1587 similarly described his own "Description of Britaine" as an exercise in chorography, distinguishing it from the
historical/chronological text of Holinshed's Chronicles(to which the "Description" formed an introductory section).[7] Peter Heylyn in 1652 defined chorography as "the exact description of some
Kingdom, Countrey, or particular Province of the same", and gave as examples Pausanias's Description of Greece (2nd century AD); Camden's Britannia (1586); Lodovico Guicciardini's Descrittione di tutti
i Paesi Bassi (1567) (on the Low Countries); and Leandro Alberti's Descrizione d'Italia (1550).[8]
Camden's Britannia was predominantly concerned with the history and antiquities of Britain, and, probably as a result, the term chorography in English came to be particularly associated
with antiquarian texts. William Lambarde, John Stow, John Hooker, Michael Drayton, Tristram Risdon, John Aubrey and many others used it in this way, arising from a gentlemanly topophilia and a
sense of service to one's county or city, until it was eventually often applied to the genre of county history. A late example was William Grey'sChorographia (1649), a survey of the antiquities of the city
of Newcastle upon Tyne. Even before Camden's work appeared, Andrew Melville in 1574 had referred to chorography and chronology as the "twa lights" [two lights] ofhistory.[9]
Example of Christopher Saxton's cartography.
However, the term also continued to be used for maps and map-making, particularly of sub-national or county areas. William Camden praised the county mapmakersChristopher Saxton and John
Norden as "most skilfull Chorographers";[10] and Robert Plot in 1677[11] and Christopher Packe in 1743[12] both referred to their county maps as chorographies.
By the beginning of the eighteenth century the term had largely fallen out of use in all these contexts, being superseded for most purposes by either "topography" or "cartography". Samuel Johnson in
his Dictionary (1755) made a distinction between geography, chorography and topography, arguing that geography dealt with large areas, topography with small areas, but chorography with mediumsized areas, being "less in its object than geography, and greater than topography".[13] In practice, however, the term is only rarely found in English by this date.
Ferdinand the Patent Office at New
deposited invon Richhofen
Modern usages[edit]
York, by Inorder of His Excellency as city views andcity maps became more and more sophisticated and demanded a set of skills that required not only skilled
more technical geographical literature, the term had been abandoned
draftsmanship but also some knowledge of scientific surveying. However, its use was revived for a second time in the late nineteenth century by the geographerFerdinand von Richthofen. He regarded
chorography as specialization within Tryon, by
Translate graphia more broadly as
Major Generala William geography, comprising the description through field observation of the particular traits of a given area.
The term is also now widely used by historians and literary scholars to refer to the early modern genre of topographical and antiquarian literature.
Claude Joseph Sauthier, Esqr. with choros rather than chora;
‘representation’,
Engraved and published by William
thus, in the simplest terms, I define
Faden.
[14]
[15]
chorography as ‘the representation of space or
place.
15. 1780- A chorographical mapsemiotic northernspecific
1780- A chorographical map of the mapping of department of NorthChorography is the qualitative and of the northern department
CREATED/PUBLISHED its elements,
America place and
of region or America a pre-disciplinary tradition with
North
Chorography is
London, 1779.
NOTES roots in classical antiquity.
firmRenaissance revival[edit]
Scale 1:322,000.rediscovered in the west at the beginning of the fifteenth century, and the term "chorography" was revived byhumanist scholars.
Ptolemy's text was
[4] An early instance is a small-scale map of Britain in
an early fifteenth-century manuscript, which is labelled atabula chorographica.[5] John Dee in 1570 regarded the practice as "an underling, and a twig of Geographie", by which the "plat" [plan or drawing]
of a particular place would be exhibited to the eye.[6]
Its name used, Greek: χωρογραφία (chorographia),
Hand colored.also came to beishowever, for written descriptions of regions. These regions were extensively visited by the writer, who then combined local topographical description, summaries of the
The term
William Camden
as a combination of χώρα (chora, ‘country’) or
Prime meridian: London.
χῶρος (choros, ‘space or place’) + γραφια
Relief shown by hachures. Depths
(graphia, ‘writing’). While most modern
shown by form lines.
definitions emphasize chora+graphia, meaning
Inscribed: To His Excellency Major
‘writing about
General William Tryon ... a country or region’,
historical sources, and local knowledge and stories, into a text. The most influential example (at least in Britain) was probably William Camden's Britannia (first edition 1586), which described itself on
its title page as a Chorographica descriptio. William Harrison in 1587 similarly described his own "Description of Britaine" as an exercise in chorography, distinguishing it from the
historical/chronological text of Holinshed's Chronicles(to which the "Description" formed an introductory section).[7] Peter Heylyn in 1652 defined chorography as "the exact description of some
Kingdom, Countrey, or particular Province of the same", and gave as examples Pausanias's Description of Greece (2nd century AD); Camden's Britannia (1586); Lodovico Guicciardini's Descrittione di tutti
i Paesi Bassi (1567) (on the Low Countries); and Leandro Alberti's Descrizione d'Italia (1550).[8]
Camden's Britannia was predominantly concerned with the history and antiquities of Britain, and, probably as a result, the term chorography in English came to be particularly associated
with antiquarian texts. William Lambarde, John Stow, John Hooker, Michael Drayton, Tristram Risdon, John Aubrey and many others used it in this way, arising from a gentlemanly topophilia and a
sense of service to one's county or city, until it was eventually often applied to the genre of county history. A late example was William Grey'sChorographia (1649), a survey of the antiquities of the city
of Newcastle upon Tyne. Even before Camden's work appeared, Andrew Melville in 1574 had referred to chorography and chronology as the "twa lights" [two lights] ofhistory.[9]
Example of Christopher Saxton's cartography.
However, the term also continued to be used for maps and map-making, particularly of sub-national or county areas. William Camden praised the county mapmakersChristopher Saxton and John
Norden as "most skilfull Chorographers";[10] and Robert Plot in 1677[11] and Christopher Packe in 1743[12] both referred to their county maps as chorographies.
By the beginning of the eighteenth century the term had largely fallen out of use in all these contexts, being superseded for most purposes by either "topography" or "cartography". Samuel Johnson in
his Dictionary (1755) made a distinction between geography, chorography and topography, arguing that geography dealt with large areas, topography with small areas, but chorography with mediumsized areas, being "less in its object than geography, and greater than topography".[13] In practice, however, the term is only rarely found in English by this date.
Ferdinand von Richhofen
Modern usages[edit]
draftsmanship but also some
for a second time in the
nineteenth century
"Advertisement. Thewithin geography, comprising the description use was revived broadly a given area. by the geographerFerdinand von Richthofen. He regarded
chorography as a specialization tracts of land more
Translate knowledge of scientific surveying. However, its through field observation of the particularlatetraits of as
graphia
The term is also
colored red, arenow widely used by historians and literary scholars to refer to the early modern genre of topographical and antiquarian literature.
military grants ..
In more technical geographical literature, the term had been abandoned as city views andcity maps became more and more sophisticated and demanded a set of skills that required not only skilled
[14]
‘representation’, with choros rather than chora;
thus, green edge are manors,
Those with ain the simplest terms, I define
and those coloured yellow as ‘the representation of space or
chorography are
townships ... "
place.
[15]
18. DESCRIPTION
Map Maker: Bernard Romans
Place / Date: Amsterdam / 1778
Coloring: Hand Colored
Size: 13 x 11.5 inches
It depicts the region within a roughly 75-mile radius of Philadelphia, including much of
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.
Major topographical features are shown as are rivers and streams, major roads,
hundreds of place names, and county and state boundaries.
The map is, among other things, one of the earliest to identify Delaware, New Jersey
and Pennsylvania as “States” rather than “Colonies” or “Provinces.”
19. Abraham Ortelius
•Cartographer, map collector, and businessman, is considered "the father of the atlas.“
• His great work, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum , was published in Antwerp in 1570.
•Conceiving of geography as "the eye of History," necessary for a true understanding
of history.
• Ortelius presented his maps as a "theater of the world," in a format which he hoped
would be convenient to those who did not have the room to hang on their walls "those
great and large Geographical maps or Charts, which are folded or roll's up."
•His project thus both expanded and contracted the world, uncovering new insights
into the known and unknown portions of the globe.
21. Chorography & Geography
Chorography deals, for the most part, with the nature
rather than the size of the lands. It has regard everywhere
for securing a likeness, but not to the same extent [as
geography] for determining relative positions.
Geography, on the other hand is concerned with
quantitative rather than qualitative matters.
Therefore, chorography has need of topography and no
one can be a chorographer unless he is also skilled in
drawing.
