World's Oldest Map
This map may be the oldest in existence. It comes from central Italy, and shows a Neolithic village around the year 5000 B.C. The pattern of stilt houses, enclosed fields, animal pens, and connecting pathways indicates that man has been aware of rather abstract and sophisticated aspects of spatial organization for a long time.
The map is incised upon a huge rock overlooking the valley site of the village. Obviously someone sat upon the hillside thinking about the spatial structure and pattern of the settlement lying below him.
A photograph of the map may be found in Capo di Ponte Centro dell’arte Rupestre Camuna (Luglio: Studi Camuni 1968)
