-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: MAPS-L: Persian vs. Arabian Gulf: early maps?
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 13:35:04 -0000
From: Cook, Andrew <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>
Ken Rockwell (and others interested)
Both Cyrus Ala'i and the 1970s Sahab Atlas were published from a Persian
or Iranian historical perspective, and their designation of the name of
the body of water should be treated accordingly. The first European
namings were, as has been said in intervening postings, Sinus Persicus,
Golfe Persique, or Persian Gulf. This was primarily, I think, because
the European approach by sea to the Basra entrepot was always to follow
the Arabian Pensinsula coast north from Muscat only to a point short of
Ras Musandam, then to cross to the northern shore to negotiate the
Straits of Hormuz, and then to proceed north-westwards on the Persian
shore (settlements at Bandar Abbas, Bushire, Kharg, etc.). Early
European track charts show this quite clearly. The southern shore,
chiefly Dubai etc., Doha, Bahrein, Kuwait, were visited less frequently
and chiefly by pearl fishers or by sallies southward from the northern
track. Much of the low-lying Arabian Peninsula shore east of Qatar was
notoriously difficult of approach, even when surveyed in the 1820s after
which part was named The East India Company's Islands. The surveyors
reported that the beach gradient was so shallow in places that it took
five miles to wade ashore from the nearest a ship's boat could approach.
(See my 'Survey of the Shores and Islands of the Persian Gulf, 1820-29'
done by Archive Editions some years ago.) Small wonder then that the
body of water came to be named by Europeans first from the country on
its more frequented northern shore. And that the rise of the oil states
on the southern shore in the C20th resulted in decisions to change its
name in their official documents and publications.
Hope this helps. Glad to e-discuss further with your patron if
required.
Andrew S Cook MA PhD FRHistS FRSA
Map Archivist, India Office Records
The British Library
96 Euston Road
London NW1 2DB
+44 20 7412 7828
-----Original Message-----
From: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Maps-L
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 9:26 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: MAPS-L: Persian vs. Arabian Gulf: early maps?
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Persian vs. Arabian Gulf: early maps?
Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 16:47:10 -0700
From: Ken Rockwell <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
Hello, all:
I have a patron who is interested in the longstanding debate in the
Middle East as to what to call the gulf between Iran and the Arabian
Peninsula; you're probably familiar with it. He'd like to find examples
of early maps (including non-Western) that portray and name the water
body. I haven't found any non-Western maps in my historical atlases,
nor at David Rumsey's site. Does anyone know of any good examples, esp.
Middle-East produced? The earlier the better...
Thanks...
--Ken Rockwell
Univ. of Utah
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