Introduction

The base map

The base map shows approximately a third of Ereláe, which in turn is only one of the four continents of Almea; see the accompanying figure, which locates the base map within the planet’s southern hemisphere.

The base area needs to be large enough to show the major centers of culture, and small enough to show a reasonable amount of detail. For almost the entire period covered by the Atlas, the coverage is generous: outside the base area there is nothing to record but the movements of primitive peoples, and our knowledge of these is only approximate. Starting about Z.E. 1800, however, with the appearance of Nanese civilization, the limits of the projection begin to be felt. However, to include these areas would render the main area of the map too small to be useful; and no state ever bridged the gap from the Alfonine coast to the Caďinorian sector. However, events in Nan are included in the commentary.

The boundaries of the base map also more or less reflect the geographical knowledge of the Ereláeans, at least until a few centuries ago. Of course, these limits varied between cultures and between ages. The ancient Caďinorians, for instance, were unaware of the existence of any other continent, though their contemporaries the Skourenes were already trading with Uytai. On the other hand, Xurno knows nothing of the Bekkayin states, and for years drew maps overstating the area of Kebri, till recently their main northern trading partner, by ten or twelve times.

The base map greatly overstates the Almeans’ knowledge of the interior of the continent. The Rau region has never been mapped, and there has never been a land crossing from any eastern country to Téllinor.

Excluded continents

The only continent of comparable antiquity and technology is Arcél, which includes the advanced states of Belesao and Uytai; their history and culture can be explored in the separate Historical Atlas of Arcél. Other southern-hemisphere regions with organized kingdoms are Neinuoi, Téllinor, and Nan; but none of these have been civilized for more than 1500 years.

The equatorial Zone of Fire has prevented significant contact and even trade between the hemispheres. Humans (uesti) in the northern hemisphere have not advanced beyond garden agriculture and tribalism, except in the Bekkayin states (an exceptional extension of Nanese culture) and the ktuvok empire of Kowon in Curym.

Note on the new edition (2011)

• The maps have been redrawn, at a larger size, with grayscale terrain on all maps, and increased accuracy. Better programs are now available as well; the terrain map was made in Photoshop, and everything else in Illustrator.
• When the atlas was published, it was the most comprehensive source of information on Almea. A good deal more information is now available, and this has allowed expanded or revised coverage.
• All text is now in Unicode.
• A table has been added to each map summarizing scientific and technological discoveries, and one naming major cultural figures.
• Errors, major and minor, have been corrected.
• The Great Reclimatization required changes in a number of areas, especially in the west part of the map.
• The maps incorporate newly available information on the Eynleyni, Lenani-Littoral, and Čia-Ša languages.

The affairs of Skouras are difficult to explain on a map of this scale, and so there is a separate Historical Atlas of Skouras available.