Jews and Cartography

  I've just read that the Jews were the pioneers of modern cartography. In the 15th century, as explorers and navigators expanded knowledge of the seas and faraway lands, cartography became in high demand, especially after the printing press made the distribution of maps more prolific. The diaspora shaped this cultural landscape, as Jews became wedged between Christian and Muslim spheres, particularly in Spain. "Driven from place to place, they [Jews] helped make cartography... into an international science, offering facts equally valid in lands of all the faiths" (Boorstin, 150). Thus, the Jews served as a bridge between the dominant religions of the time, translating what medieval Arab scientists had discovered for Christian Europe. 

 I can feel this effect in my DNA. The strong Jewish genes in my family that shape our geographic talent and interest was passed down from centuries of cartographic practice. My own grandfather was a cartographer. And while I studied it in college, the field seems to have become diluted by IT guys because of the importance of GIS, making the ancient art of mapmaking less appealing for those preferring to design them conceptually.

Boorstin, Daniel J. The Discoverers. 1st Vintage book ed. Vintage Books, 1985.