Press release 2
ndJuly 2013
International Conference on History of Cartography gathers 200 experts from all over the world to Helsinki 30.6-5.7.2013
The 25
thInternational Conference on History of Cartography is currently held in Helsinki. It gathers 200 experts from 35 countries. This biannual series of conferences in now for the first time held in Finland. In connection with the conference there are three map exhibitions open to public. This is a record number of map exhibitions open at the same time in Helsinki.
A rare map from A.E. Nordenskiöld Collection discussed during the conference
The most remarkable of the exhibitions is “The Emerging world” at the National Museum showing treasures of maps collected by A.E. Nordenskiöld, the first voyager of the North-East passage. The A.E. Nordenskiöld Collection at the National Library of Finland has 24 000 maps printed before the 19
thcentury. At the conference a special session will be organized discussing some of the maps in the collection.
Map historian Leena Miekkavaara says “The globe gores map marked very rare by Nordenskiöld himself is printed in the beginning of 16th century and its origin is still unknown.” This map is the focus of one of the presentations., “The Nordenskiöld Collection was of the major reason for organizing the conference in Helsinki”, states Tony Campbell, chairman of the Imago Mundi Ltd.
Maps have been used to enforce power structures
”Research on the history of cartography explains how maps have been made on purpose to support power structures, for example in expansion of national territory, taxation and military operation, but also to spread religion. The special role of Finland as a border area between east and west reflects also in the history of our cartography”, observes conference director Antti Jakobsson.
The conference is organized by the Cartographic Society of Finland in co-operation with Imago Mundi Ltd. The conference partners are the National Land Survey of Finland, John Nurminen foundation, University of Helsinki, Aalto University, National Archives of Finland, the Geographic Society of Finland, Chartarum Amici, University of Jyväskylä, the cities of Helsinki and Espoo. Conference is organized biannually.
Links
Conference website
https://www.ichc2013.fi/
Press images
www.ichc2013.fi/press
“The Emerging World – Map treasures from the A.E. Nordenskiöld Collection” exhibition at the National Museum of Finland
https://www.kansalliskirjasto.fi/en/
“From Observation to Map – the History of Cartography and Surveying in Finland” exhibition at the National Archives of Finland
https://www.arkisto.fi/
“Helsinki Maps” exhibition on how the city has been presented on maps throughout different centuries at Laituri
https://www.hel.fi/kaupunkiymparisto/fi/yhteystiedot/laituri
More information and contact details
Antti Jakobsson, +358 50 599 4123, antti.jakobsson[at]nls.fi
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