Skip to main content

The biggest mistakes in mapmaking history - Kayla Wolf

944,106 Views

8,255 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

For thousands of years, people made both functional maps and what are known as cosmographies, illustrating the earth and its position in the cosmos, often including constellations, gods, and mythic locations. These maps were meant to depict the world's geography, but weren't necessarily useful for navigation and contained some glaring mistakes. Kayla Wolf shares mapmaking’s biggest blunders.

The Chinese Map “Da Ming Hunyi Tu” was designed on a giant

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Kayla Wolf
  • Director Serin İnan, Kozmonot Animation Studio
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer
  • Storyboard Artist Gürkan Gürler
  • Animator İrem Usta, Gürkan Gürler
  • Compositor Serin İnan
  • Art Director Gürkan Gürler
  • Music Cem Misirlioglu, David Coltun
  • Sound Designer Cem Misirlioglu
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

More from The World's People and Places