AncientMaps - Geography (by Fritz Bauer & AI) is a research-oriented platform dedicated to the study of historical cartography, ancient geography, and the reconstruction of past landscapes. The site focuses on the critical analysis of ancient and Renaissance maps, with particular emphasis on Claudius Ptolemy’s Geographike Hyphegesis and the coordinate catalogue of Germania Magna.
Central to the project is the kinematic block-deformation model developed by Sven Mildner, which integrates GIS-based affine transformations, residual analysis, and physically motivated kinematic corrections to reduce spatial discrepancies between Ptolemaic coordinates and modern geography. The platform also examines the cartographic work of Gerhard Mercator and other key figures in the history of mapmaking.
Articles combine traditional historical geography with modern methods including digital cartometry, geodetic rectification, and insights from structural geology and geodynamics. Topics include the re-identification of ancient toponyms and river courses, post-Ptolemaic landscape changes, and the methodological challenges of interpreting historical geographic data.
The site aims to provide transparent, evidence-based analyses supported by statistical validation, falsification criteria, and interdisciplinary perspectives.
