-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Betr.: [Fwd: 10 degrees, or 156 1/4 leagues] Date: Mon, 03 Feb 2003 07:39:13 +0100 From: "Jan Smits" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]> ------------------ Dear Jessica, on the webpage 'Mathematical data for bibliographic descriptions of cartographic materials and spatial data' on www.kb.nl/kb/skd/skd/mathemat.html part is devoted to the phenomena 'mile' and 'league'. Under the heading 'Bar scale values' the following advise is given: Trying to give scales for pre-1800 maps implies always 3 to 4 measurements and should result in phrases as 'Scale varying from [ca. 1:7,400] to [ca. 1:8,400]' when derived from measurements on modern maps. Or 'Scale [ca. 1:7,900], measurement derived from scale bar (900 rods = 33 mm)'. When the scale bar is not used in this way its mention should be relegated to the notes. I advise curators and editors of facsimiles to be careful with scales and never to use one scale denominator when the map does not have a geometrical basis based on triangulation. When the cataloguer is not sure it is better to state 'Scale unknown' and give a scale-bar note than giving a quizzing approximation with which nothing can be proved or which creates confusion. I hope this will answer some of your questions. With kind regards, Jan Smits Jan Smits Koninklijke Bibliotheek, National Library of The Netherlands P.O. Box 90.407 NL-2509 LK Den Haag The Netherlands tel: +31 70 3140241 fax: +31 70 3140450 E-mail: [log in to unmask] E-mail: [log in to unmask] (when the above does not function) Past-President Groupe des Cartothecaires de LIBER (GdC, European Map Curators Group) 1998-2002 Chairman Working Group for Mapcuratorship, Dutch Cartographic Society (NVK) IFLA Representative for the ICA Spatial Data Standards Commission Secretary Dutch Commision for Cataloguing & Indexing FOBID (Federation of Organizations working in the Library-, Information-, and Documentation-field) WWW-maps: http://www.kb.nl/kb/skd/karto-en.html WWW-GdC: http://www.kb.nl/infolev/liber/intro.htm WWW-personal: http://www.kb.nl/persons/jan-smits/homepage.htm Na matheis kai na matheis ap'tous spoudasmenous (To learn and again to learn from those who know) >>> [log in to unmask] 31-01-03 23:13 >>> -------- Original Message -------- Subject: 10 degrees, or 156 1/4 leagues Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 13:19:27 -0500 (EST) From: Jessica Kilfoil <[log in to unmask]> To: Johnnie Sutherland <[log in to unmask]> ------------------ hello. if any map catalogers could help me on this one, i'd really appreciate it: we have several reprints and adaptations of 16th century italian maps & i am having a problem calculating scales from scale bars in which the scale unit is presented in "leagues". none contains a complete verbal scale statement. i don't know what to do with the leagues/leghe/legha. so my questions are: 1) can anyone provide a conversion chart (or a citation for one) showing a modern distance equivalent of a 16th century italian league? 2) may i transcribe the graphical distance into a verbal scale statement ("[1 in.] = 50 leagues")? 3) may i calculate a "Scale [ca. 1:whatever]" based on a nice latitude bar that runs up the side of each map? (all maps show moderate latitudes, as we collection only north carolina subjects). any assistance would be greatly appreciated! thank you all! jessica _____________________________________________ Jessica M. Kilfoil Catalog Dept. North Carolina Collection CB #3930 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514