Everything Everywhere Daily · Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Before the 15th century, European maps depicted the Atlantic Ocean beyond Northwest Africa as a dangerous and unknown territory, often filled with mythical creatures and warnings. These maps reinforced the medieval idea of the 'Mare Tenebrosum' or 'sea of darkness', deterring sailors from venturing into uncharted waters.
“15th century Europeans were highly ignorant of the Atlantic Ocean, subscribing to the medieval idea of the Mare Tenebrosum, or sea of darkness. The maps of the era reflected these dangers, depicting regions beyond the known world as simply wastelands and warning anyone who dared sail past them.”
“Some maps, like the bronze cast Borja map of the early 15th century, were not just inaccurate, they were intimidating, issuing explicit warnings to those who dared sail beyond the maps edges by filling in the seas outer edges of the map with terrifying razor tooth creatures straight out of mythology.”