Cartography, the art and science of map-making, has existed since ancient times.

The ancient Greeks were the first to apply scientific principles to map-making, with scholars like Ptolemy creating maps with latitude and longitude.

Ptolemy's work, 'Geography,' was the most influential work on cartography in Europe for over 1400 years.

Medieval European maps were often more symbolic and theological than geographically accurate, such as the 'T-O map' which placed Jerusalem at the center of the world.

In the late Middle Ages, more practical 'portolan charts' were developed for maritime navigation in the Mediterranean.

The European Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries revolutionized cartography, as new continents and coastlines were charted.

The Mercator projection, created in 1569, was a revolutionary map that became standard for navigation because it represented lines of constant course as straight lines.

Maps became important tools of state power and imperialism, used to define borders and administer colonies.

The 20th century introduced new technologies like aerial photography and satellite imagery.

Modern cartography is dominated by digital technologies like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and GPS.