First Accurate World Map

First Accurate World Map

By the 9th century, many Muslim scholars took it for granted that the Earth was a sphere. The proof, said astronomer Ibn Hazm, "is that the Sun is always vertical to a particular spot on Earth". It was 500 years before that realisation dawned on Galileo. The calculations of Muslim astronomers were so accurate that in the 9th century they  reckoned the Earth's circumference to be 40,253.4km - less than 200km out. In 1166, Muhammad Al-Idrisi, the well-known Muslim scholar who served the Sicilian  court,produced very accurate maps, including a world map with all the continents and  their mountains, rivers and famous cities. Al-Muqdishi was the first geographer  to produce accurate maps in color. In the maps made under Muslim rule, north was drawn pointing downwards. The map drawn by Moroccan scholar Al-Idrisi, was created centuries before  Marco Polo or Columbus explored the world. In the Photo: (A): The Tabula Rogeriana, drawn by al-Idrisi for Roger II of Sicily in 1154,  one of the most advanced ancient  world maps. Modern consolidation, created from the 70 double-page spreads  of the original atlas. (B): Introductory summary overview map from al-Idrisi's 1154 world atlas.  Note that south is at the top of the map.