The Peculiar Cartography of Ottoman Explorer Piri Reis
The gazelle skin map fragment, discovered by Halil Edhem workers, is a mystifying relic from Admiral Piri Reis, depicting uncharted territories with eerie accuracy, including Antarctica, long before its official discovery.
On a stormy night, February 14, 1493, Christopher Columbus sat beneath the flickering light of a lantern on his ship, penning down his recent discoveries and experiences. The tempestuous waves threatened to devour the ship, and the ominous atmosphere was thick with tension and uncertainty. The relentless gales seemed symbolic of the internal turmoil Columbus wrestled with – a turbulent mixture of doubt, guilt, and religious apprehension.
Doubting oneself in a precarious situation is a human instinct. And here was Columbus, in the throes of such self-reproach, wondering if he had put too much faith in divine providence. While his faith was firm, his recent discoveries meant the world to him, and he feared they might be lost to oblivion if the ship sank that fateful night.
