Exploring the Mysteries of the 'Marco Polo' Maps

Time: 12:00 PM-1:30 PM

Location: Disque Hall Room 109 32 South 32nd Street, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA

A chronicle entitled Il Milione — later known as The Travels of Marco Polo— recounts the journey in the thirteenth century of this Italian merchant and explorer from Venice to East Asia. While this text would go on to be read by and inspire notable mapmakers and explorers, including Christopher Columbus, scholars have long debated the account’s veracity. Some have argued that Polo never even reached China. A new book, The Mysteries of the Marco Polo Maps (University of Chicago Press, 2014) reveals new evidence concerning this historical puzzle: a very curious collection of fourteen little-known maps and related documents said to have belonged to the family of Marco Polo himself. In his discussion of his book, historian of cartography Benjamin B. Olshin will offer an analysis of some of these artifacts, as well as a look into the complex nature of the research that these materials demanded — ranging from deciphering peculiar Latin texts to studying centuries-old Chinese legends.

Benjamin B. Olshin, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Philosophy, History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, and Design, at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. After undergraduate training in Classics at Williams College, he began his peregrinations around the world, teaching in England and Portugal. Later, he completed his M.A. and Ph.D. at the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology at the University of Toronto in Canada, with a specialty in the history of cartography. Dr. Olshin was a Fulbright scholar in Europe, and a recipient of two NEH grants. He served as an Associate Professor of Fine Arts and Design in Taiwan, and has been involved in projects in Italy, Switzerland, South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, Brazil, and the U.S. in the fields of the history of science, technology policy, cross-cultural communications, and philosophy. He has written a number of papers and presented in these same areas, with works appearing in journals in the U.S., Latin America, Asia, and West Africa. In addition to the history of cartography and exploration, Dr. Olshin also carries out research in cultural studies, the history of technology, and the philosophy of physics.

The event is open to the public. Lunch will be provided. For more information or to RSVP, please email Irene Cho at irene.ch o@drexel.edu

See: http://www.drexel.edu/sts/news/calendar/details/?eid=7163&iid=21504