Representation and interpretation of the time in historical cartography.

Abstract

This article explores the representation and interpretation of time in historical cartography, an aspect rarely addressed by theorists such as J. Brian Harley, who focused on the iconography and ideologies of space.

A methodology is proposed to identify time in maps through literal elements (dates of production or publication), geographical elements (mountains, rivers), and non-geographical elements that refer to human activity. Inspired by Karl Schlögel, who asserts that maps possess a “historicity” by showing the emergence and disappearance of places, it is argued that maps not only reflect the present, but also make the past visible and project the future. Time on maps is shown on different scales: from really short periods, like the five days of the Battle of Ahualulco, where military movements are detailed by the hour, to “everyday life” and long-term stuff, like what's shown in Felipe II's Relaciones Geográficas, which illustrate daily activities and conflicts that went on for a long time, like the Chichimeca War. Likewise, it analyzes how cartography can express the future, exemplified in urban plans such as the division of San Luis Potosí into quarters in 1794. These maps, although they show a present reality, superimpose government intentions and plans for territorial control, highlighting the need to verify whether these projects materialized. Finally, the importance of interpreting historical cartography with caution is emphasized, as the information may be erroneous or incomplete, as demonstrated by the case of Isla Bermeja.