{"product_id":"here-begins-the-dark-sea-venice-a-medieval-monk-and-the-creation-of-the-most-accurate-map-of-the-world-9781639364190","title":"Here Begins the Dark Sea: Venice, a Medieval Monk, and the Creation of the Most Accurate Map of the World","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe remarkable story of the cartographic masterpiece--the Venetian \u003ci\u003emappa mundi--\u003c\/i\u003ethat revolutionized how we see the world.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn 1459 a Venetian monk named Fra Mauro completed an astonishing map of the world. Seven feet in diameter, Fra Mauro's \u003ci\u003emappamundi \u003c\/i\u003eis the oldest and most complete Medieval map to survive into modernity. And in its time, this groundbreaking \u003ci\u003emappamundi\u003c\/i\u003e provided the most detailed description of the known world, incorporating accurate observation, and geographic reality, urging viewers to see water and land as they really existed. Fra Mauro's map was the first in history to show that a ship could circumnavigate Africa, and that the Indian \"Sea\" was in fact an ocean, enabling international trade to expand across the globe. Acclaimed anthropologist Meredith F. Small reveals how Fra Mauro's \u003ci\u003emappamundi\u003c\/i\u003e made cartography into a science rather than a practice based on religion and ancient myths. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eHere Begins the Dark Sea \u003c\/i\u003ebrings Fra Mauro's masterpiece to life as a work of art and a window into Venetian society and culture. In telling the story of this cornerstone of modern cartography, Small takes the reader on a fascinating journey as she explores the human urge to find our way. \u003ci\u003eHere Begins the Dark Sea \u003c\/i\u003eis a riveting testament to the undeniable impact Fra Mauro and his \u003ci\u003emappamundi\u003c\/i\u003e have had over the past five centuries and still holds relevance today.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Pegasus Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50619491418386,"sku":"9781639364190","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_9fbb4fd5-55e6-499e-8f8c-74970d5a0055.jpg?v=1732550665","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/here-begins-the-dark-sea-venice-a-medieval-monk-and-the-creation-of-the-most-accurate-map-of-the-world-9781639364190","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}