By Joy Ndamukunda
The Babylonian Map of the World, or the Imago Mundi, is the oldest known map of the world. According to Mesopotamian cosmology, the map, which dates to the sixth century BCE, shows how the universe originated and was ordered. It depicts Mesopotamia, which is modern-day Iraq, as well as parts of Syria, Turkey, and Iran. The map is a schematic world map on a clay tablet from Babylonia with two Akkadian inscriptions.
The Euphrates, which flows from the north (top) to the south (bottom) and has the labels “swamp” and “outflow” at its mouth, is the focal point of the map. On the northern side of the map, along the Euphrates, is the city of Babylon. Elam’s capital Susa is portrayed to the south, Urartu to the northeast, and the erroneously depicted capital of the Kassites, Habban, to the northwest. A circular “bitter river” or ocean encircles Mesopotamia, and seven or eight alien regions—possibly envisioned as mountains—are shown as triangle parts that extend beyond the sea. This small tablet gives us an insight into their worldview and beliefs, however flawed they may be.
Sources:
https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/imago-mundi-the-oldest-known-map
https://www.jmatthewthomas.com/post/imago-mundi
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1882-0714-509