Let’s take a journey—not around the world, but back in time to when humanity’s idea of a “world map” looked less like Google Earth and more like a kindergarten art project.
Ancient Cartography: Bold, Confused, and Slightly Off
The first world maps were created long before GPS, satellite imagery, or even the humble compass. So what did they look like?
In short: not great.
Imagine handing a crayon to someone who’s never left their village and asking them to draw the entire Earth. That’s basically how we got the Babylonian World Map, the first known “world map” dating back to 600 BCE.
The Babylonian “World” Map (Spoiler: It’s Just a Circle)
This map was carved into a clay tablet (probably because paper hadn’t been invented yet and parchment was busy being a sheep).
It depicted the world as a flat disc surrounded by a “bitter river”—which, honestly, sounds like how we all feel before coffee. The center was Babylon (obviously), and everything else was vaguely labeled as mysterious regions filled with monsters, darkness, and people who probably didn’t return your carrier pigeon messages.
Cleveland? Nowhere to be found. The Americas? Not even in the rumor mill yet. Australia? Still just chilling with kangaroos in anonymity.
Greek Contributions: Philosophical, Geometrical, and Still Pretty Wrong
A few hundred years later, Greek philosophers entered the scene like, “Hold my scroll.”
Anaximander, in the 6th century BCE, decided to level up the map game. His map included Europe, Asia, and Libya (which meant “Africa” to the Greeks), with the Mediterranean Sea plopped down in the middle like a god-tier swimming pool.
He was followed by Hecataeus, who went with a donut-shaped world surrounded by ocean. Again—no New York, no Tokyo, just the basics.
Ptolemy, the rockstar of ancient mapping, did his best in 150 CE by introducing longitude and latitude. His map was a bit more accurate, but it still made the Indian Ocean into a bathtub and had only the vaguest idea what was east of China. Baby steps.
Medieval Maps: Religious, Symbolic, and Definitely Not Scaled
During the Middle Ages, cartography took a turn for the divine. Maps like the T and O map placed Jerusalem at the center of the world and divided the continents into three parts: Asia, Europe, and Africa.
These maps were less about navigation and more about worldview. Scale? Who needs it. Accuracy? That’s for the Renaissance.
One map, the Hereford Mappa Mundi, includes real places next to unicorns, dragons, and what might be an angry goose. Honestly, it’s like someone took a Dungeons & Dragons campaign and labeled it “Earth.”
So… What Did the First World Map Look Like?
A circle. Maybe a rectangle. Possibly a series of blobs surrounded by text like “Land of Giant Ants” or “Here Be Dragons.”
Basically, it looked nothing like a MOVA Globe.
From Ancient Clay to Modern Day: Thank Science for Spheres
Today, world maps (and globes) are more accurate than ever. Thanks to satellites, lasers, and an international obsession with mapping everything—including your favorite sandwich shop—we now know the world is round, rotating, and beautifully complex.
That’s why MOVA Globes are so captivating: they combine centuries of exploration and discovery into one mesmerizing, spinning work of art. Each globe brings together the history of cartography, the magic of space, and the elegance of design—all powered by ambient light and the Earth’s magnetic field. No batteries, no cords, and definitely no angry geese.
Want to See the World As It Actually Looks?
We’ve come a long way from angry rivers and donut oceans. With MOVA Globes, you can explore the Earth as it truly is—vibrant, dynamic, and constantly in motion.
Browse our collection of world map designs, including:
Whether you’re a history buff, an aspiring explorer, or someone who just wants a really cool desk ornament, we’ve got the globe for you.
