The Piri Reis Map Was Compiled from Multiple Old Sources

In 1513, the Ottoman admiral Piri Reis drew a world map on parchment. Only a fragment survives, but it shows Western Europe, the African coast, and much of eastern South America. He wrote that the map was assembled from many charts, including material connected to Columbus's voyage. The cartographer himself said he did not begin with a blank sheet.

That detail matters more than the disputed coastlines. If Piri Reis had surveyed everything himself, the map would have a consistent accuracy. Instead, some regions are relatively clear while other sections are rotated, stretched, or joined at odd angles. The pattern fits a collector who gathered records from different voyages and forced them onto one limited sheet.