Historical Atlas

This is the classic among Atlas's. It beats Haywood's, the Harper-Collins, and others I have examined, for its detail and research. Of course the fact that the original plates were "destroyed", necessarily makes some of the place names difficult to read in this revised and updated iteration.

The focus is "Western"--largely European. Much of China, India, Africa, and Pre-Columbian America is barely noted, and then largely as colonies. Of course, there are many reasons for this. Shepherd's own work ended in 1929, just as the whole world was changing.

Most Atlases of this scope are content with the broad brush across continents. Small-scale visual treats here include micro-maps. For example, we find the Ancient Roman forum (p. 24) and show more ground plan for a monastery, St. Gall, Switzerland (p.101). At a glance, questions about history are answered, and more asked. Petra appears on at least six maps, and all are outside a conquering empire except the final one, of Rome. Why did Alexander conquer Jerusalem and Egypt, but overlook the Holy City of Petra? [p.18] Strabo describes Petra as wealthy and cosmopolitan, with a near-monopoly on temple-spices.

With comprehensive Index of named cities/villages and a chronologically dated Table of Contents. show less

Everybody who is interested in any but the latest periods of ancient or European history should have this. I would think it would be less valuable for Americans interested only in American history, because most of us more or less know where everything is in this country. My edition is not very good, in that the maps are smaller than one would like and somewhat muddy. I believe I remember reading somewhere that the original plates were destroyed in World War II. I'd like to know where to find a larger and clearer version.

Excellent and standard resource for historical maps. The only shortcoming is that it is dated. This 1969 reprint of the 1964 9th edition includes the United Nations and the Cold War to 1969, the Postwar Retreat of Colonialism, and Europe in 1969.

Department of History
University of Hong Kong