The Philip Lee Phillips Map Society of the Library of Congress Septentrionalivm partivm, nova tabvla. Map by Nicolo Zeno, 1558. Geography and Map Division Library of Congress Hosts GIS Day 2019, Focusing On Cultural Preservation and Disaster Response “In The Shadows of Notre Dame” The Library of Congress will celebrate GIS (Geographic Information Science) Day on Nov. 13 with an all-day series of talks on the use of GIS technology and 3D mapping in cultural heritage preservation and disaster reponse. The discussions will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, in LJ-119 on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street. S.E., Washington, D.C. Reservations for this event can be obtained by visiting https://2019gisday.eventbrite.com. The event is free and open to the public. The event can also be livestreamed from https://www.youtube.com/user/LibraryOfCongress. GIS Day—held during Geography Awareness Week (Nov. 12-18)—is an annual, global celebration of GIS and mapping technology, with events held by organizations around the world. Formally started in 1999, GIS Day aims to provide a forum to promote the benefits of GIS research, demonstrate re- al-world applications of GIS, and foster open idea sharing and growth in the GIS community. The Library’s morning session will open with a keynote address by Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas, co-chair of the Congressional French Caucus focusing on Cultural Heritage Preservation Mapping and Congressional Policy. The morning also will feature talks on the aftermath of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire and the use of GIS and computer vision in disaster response planning and cultural heritage preserva- tion. The afternoon session will concentrate on applications of the technology with case studies on historic building and engineering archives in cultural preserva- tion, advanced spatial analysis and 3D mapping of UNESCO World Heritage sites. There will be a joint Open House of the Geography and Map Division & Prints and Photographs Division in the Geography and Map Reading Room (LM-B01) from 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. The Mysterious Island The title of this article does not refer to the science fiction novel of the same name by Jules Verne. It refers to the phantom island Frisland which was commonly shown on maps of the North Atlantic Ocean during the 16th and 17th centuries. Frisland never existed, however, cartographers believed that the island was real because of a map published in 1558 known as the Zeno map. An image of the Zeno map is featured below. Frisland is shown directly south of Islanda (Iceland). The story about the mythical island and the Zeno map evolved because of two Venetian brothers Nicolo and Antonio Zeno. During the medieval period the Zeno family acquired fame and fortune. Nicolo and Antonio were noted 14th century navigators. A third brother Carlo was a wealthy merchant and war hero. A descendant of the Zeno family claimed that he discovered letters written by Nicolo and An- tonio about their travels to the North Atlantic. A map was found with the letters. In 1558 the letters and accompanying map were printed by a Venetian publisher named Francesco Marcolini. An English translation was published in 1600. The translated title is as follows: The discouerie of the isles of Frisland, Iseland, Engroneland, Estotiland, Drogeo and Icaria: made Septentrionalivm partivm, nova tabvla. by Nicolo Zeno, 1558. Geography and Map Division by two brethern, namely M. Nicholas Zeno, and M. Antonio his brother. The printed book consists of two sets of letters. The letters are full of fantastical stories. The first part of the book includes correspondence written by Nicolo to his brother Antonio. Nicolo claimed that he began a journey from Venice to England in 1380. He wrote that his ship was blown off course and wrecked on an island named Frisland. After the shipwreck he met an explorer named Zichmni, who ruled the island. Zichmni rescued Nicolo and his crew and made him admiral of his fleet. Zichmni and Nicolo attempted to invade Iceland and were forced back. Nicolo stated that they attacked several other islands after the invasion of Iceland. Nicolo also claimed that he traveled to Greenland and discovered a monastery with central heating! Nicolo asked Antonio to join him in Frisland. Antonio complied and the brothers served in Zichmni’s military campaign for fourteen years. The second part consists of letters that Antonio wrote to their brother Carlo. Antonio wrote that he became admiral of Zichmni’s fleet after Nico- lo’s death on the island. He wrote about a group of fishermen who landed on Frisland after traveling for 25 years. The fishermen discovered Estotiland west of Frisland and a place named Drogeo. They experienced dangerous encounters with cannibals and wild animals during their travels. The stories told by the fishermen inspired Antonio and Zichmni to travel west. They discovered an island named Icaria and later landed at Greenland. Antonio returned to Frisland while Zichmni remained in Greenland. Detail of Frisland and surronding area from plate 45 Scandia Sive Regiones Septentrionales from Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. by Abraham Ortelius, 1570. Geography and Map Division. The depiction of Frisland varies in appearance from one map to another. On the map to the left, a line of Latin text extends from Greenland to Frisland. In contrast, the map below by Vincenzo Coronelli shows Frisland with a very different shape and closer to Greenland. Tabvla navtica qua repræsentatur oræ maritimæ meatus ac freta noviter a HHudsono Anglo ad Caurum supra Novam Franciam indagata, anno 1612. Johann Theodor de Bry, 1612. Geography and Map Division. The text on the above map: “Meridianus per insulas Corsi et Florum transiens, ac pro omnium primo usurpavi solitus” translates to “The Meridian that passes through the islands of Corsi and Florum, that all first make use of habitually.” Maps of Bermuda, Iceland, Jan Mayen Island, and Newfoundland by Vincenzo Coronelli, 1692-1694. Geography and Map Division. Detail of Frislandia from Mappa totius mundi : adornata juxta observationes dnn. academiae regalis scientiarum et nonnullorum aliorum secundum annotationes recentissimasl Map by Tobias Conrad Lotter. 1775. Geography and Map Division. After the 17th century most mapmakers did not include Frisland on their maps; however; a few continued to show the phantom island on maps into the 18th century. Frisland is shown below as Frislandia on a world map published by Tobias Conrad Lotter in 1775. Historians have different theories about the authenticity of the Zeno brothers’ story and the identity of Zichmni. Many think the letters and accom- panying map were a hoax while others believe the brothers traveled to the North Atlantic and mistook Iceland for Frisland. Some think Zichmni may have been the Scottish nobleman Henry Sinclair. In my personal opinion, the story of the Zeno brothers and the phantom island Frisland will always remain an unsolved mystery. By Cynthia Smith Gallery Talks: The Techniques and Crafts of Mesoamerican Artists Newsletter Staff Paulette Hasier Managing Editor David Ducey Editor On September 25, John Hessler gave the first of four Gallery Talks concerning Meso- Cynthia Smith Contributor John Hessler Graphics Contributor american arts. This talk focused on Mesoamerican sculptures and how they depict body modification. Also discussed was how researchers and historians use modern tools, such as virtual models and digitally constructed representations of both Mesoamerican art pieces Society Steering Committee and local human remains from the era, to help develop further understanding of Meso- Dianne Garrett Powell Chair american culture. Richard Pflederer Vice Chair William B. Ginsberg Mesoamerican artists from across a wide geographical area employed complex techniques Dennis M. Gurtz Frank Holcomb and showed a mastery of craft that is really just starting to be understood by archaeologists Arthur Holzheimer and art historians. In the September talk, and in the following future talks, John Hessler, Jay Lester curator of the Jay I. Kislak Collection, will discuss a variety of aspects of Mesoamerican J.C. McElveen Jr. Donald McGuirk art, represented in the exhibition Exploring the Early Americas. Glen McLaughlin Kenneth Nebenzahl Wendsday, November 20, 2019 at 11 am -- Molding Ceramics Seymour I. Schwartz Ex Officio Members -- Inscribing Stone Wendsday, December 11, 2019 at 11 am Dr. Paulette Hasier Chief, G&M Ralph E. Ehrenberg Chief, G&M, 2011-2017 Wendsday, January 15, 2020 at 11 am -- Carving Jade John R. Herbert Chief, G&M, 1999-2011 Academic Advisors Ronald Grim Formerly Boston Public Library Mark Monmonier Syracuse University Mary Pedley University of Michigan Rodney-Kite-Powell Director, Touchton Map Library and Florida Center for Cartographic Education Dennis Reinhartz University of Texas at Arlington Susan Schulten University of Denver Norman J.W. Thrower University of California at LA, Ret. Cordell K. Yee St. John’s College, Annapolis About Us To view the Geography and Map Division Twitter account, The Philip Lee Phillips Map Society of the Library of Congress is named in honor of Philip Lee Phillips (1857-1924), the first or to for information on the Phillips Society, including Superintendent of Maps at the Library of Congress when the Hall of Maps and Charts was established in 1897. membership details, please click on the links below. The group is a non-profit, voluntary association with an objective to develop, enhance, and promote the work of the Geography and Map Division by advancing its publication, education, exhibition, preservation, and acquisition programs. .