- Jul 20, 2016
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In 1931, John Sparks created a timeline of world civilizations from 2,000 BC through 1930. He put the timeline in a map form that shows the ebb and flow of civilizations. Keep in mind that in 1930, there were no computers, and even library sources may have been a bit limited. Yet, he did it, and even today it is a masterpiece. Clearly, there may be some discussion about weighting different groups of people, but considering when it was made, it is pretty darn great.
Histomap published by Rand McNally in 1931, is an ambitious attempt at fitting a mountain of historical information onto a five-foot-long poster. The poster cost $1 at the time, which would equal approximately $18 when accounting for inflation.
I cannot copy the whole image here, as it is too large, but I do encourage you all to click on the link and take a look for yourselves. Here is a tiny glimpse.
Although the distribution of power is not quantitatively defined on the x-axis, it does provide a rare example of looking at historic civilizations in relative terms. While the Roman Empire takes up a lot of real estate during its Golden Age, for example, we still get a decent look at what was happening in other parts of the world during that period.
The visualization is also effective at showing the ascent and decline of various competing states, nations, and empires. Did Sparks see world history as a zero-sum exercise; a collection of nations battling one another for control over scarce territory and resources?
I took it a step farther and considered the ebb and flow of my ideas, beliefs, careers, creations, and life events in comparison with world events. Well, I've not gotten very far, but I think it is an interesting idea for these immediate times.
Histomap: Visualizing the 4,000 Year History of Global Power
We examine an ambitious timeline that details the power of various civilizations going all the way back to 2,000 B.C.
www.visualcapitalist.com
