I roughly know how world maps were created, but detailed local maps of towns and forest’s are something I find interesting. What methods were used to scale down in world, to paper distances?

  • Nighed@feddit.uk
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    14
    ·
    1 day ago

    Everything was/is mapped with trigonometry. You map the big triangles first, then once you have some nice big markers at known distances in the hills around you you can just measure angles to work out where you are. Repeat that lots and you can record the exact location of everything.

    • gasgiant@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      1 day ago

      Yep and in the UK os maps still have many of the trig points on them. Sometimes there are actual markers on the ground as well.