The Depiction of Cuba on the Ruysch World Map (original) (raw)
The Mystery of Cuba on the Ruysch World Map
The Ruysch world mapl is found in the Ptolemy Atlas of 1508.. Its author, Johan Ruysch, was a highly regarded cartographer who sailed to the northern aspects of the New World with an English expedition some time prior to 1507.3 The map itself is marvelously accurate for its time. The appearance of the Caribbean Sea on this map has puzzled cartographic historians since 1526. Indeed, John Boyd Thacher comments specifically on this point; "The mystery of this map-and every early map boasted its mystery-is the absence of the island of Cuba from its place in the Caribbean Sea. Where Cuba should be placed there is instead a triangular-shaped landmass, unexplored to the west. The configuration of this landmass is very similar, but smaller in. scale, to a landmass on the Cantino6 and Canerio world planispheres of 1502 and c. 1504. Some researchers have identified this landmass as the southeast coast of North America. Others have identified it as representing Columbus' Cuba.By dispelling several myths regarding the above-mentioned maps it will be argued that Ruysch used this outline on his map to represent Cuba, and he did this because he discovered or concluded that the large triangular-shaped landmass on these Portuguese planispheres depicted the land of Cuba which Columbus explored during his first two voyages
Interrelationship of the terranes in western and central Cuba—Comment
Tectonophysics, 1994
The present tectonic position and stratigraphy of the Sierra de 10s Organos and the Sierra de1 Rosario sequences in the Cordillera de Guaniguanico in Cuba (Fig. 1) is well known as a result of the geological mapping of the Pinar de1 Rio Province (Pszczolkowski et al., 1975). These data became the base for various tectonic and geodynamic interpretations of the western part of Cuba (for example, Mo~akowski et al., 1987; Puscharowski et al., 1989) **. The paper by K. Piotrowska (1993) is the latest attempt at explaining the paleotectonic history of some tectonic units (terranes) in the Pinar de1 Rio Province. I do not agree with some conclusions presented in this paper. Piotrowska (1993) states that all tectonic units of the Sierra de 10s Organos terrane in the Pinar de1 Rio Province (the metamorphosed units, the Mogote zone, Pizarras de1 Sur and Pizarras de1 Norte) are thrust over the 'Zaza zone' and the sequence of the ~orida-Bahamas (Piotrowska, *Editor's note: A reply to this paper was invited but unfortunately not received. It was therefore decided to publish the comment without the customary reply.
16THE Interpretation of Caribbean Paleogeography
La hipòtesi de GAARlàndia (Iturralde-Vinent & MacPhee, 1999) especifica que una llengua de terra, capaç d'actuar com a via de dispersió per a organismes terrestres, va connectar les futures Antilles Majors amb la vorera del nord-oest de Sud Amèrica durant un període curt cap a la transició Eocè/Oligocè. Hedges (2001) ha criticat aquesta hipòtesi sota diferents prismes, i a aquest treball tractam de replicar algunes de les seves objeccions, tenint en compte l'evidència més recent que tenim sobre les següents tres qüestions: (1) Quant ha durat la presència dels ambients terrestres actuals de la conca del Carib? (2) Quines han estat les dates d'emergència més probables per a les illes que tenen aquests ambients? (3) Quin efecte tenen les corrents de superfície marines sobre la distribució dels objectes que suren a l'àrea del Carib? Primer, en contra del que diu Hedges, encara no hi ha evidència geològica per a donar suport a una continuïtat als ambients terrestres del Carib abans de fa 37 Ma. A llavors, la pretensió d'Hedges que com a mínim algunes entitats biòtiques haurien persistit in situ per períodes de més de 37 Ma (la data més primerenca suportada per tal evidència), com a mínim a algunes de les illes actuals, encara no es pot mantenir sobre bases geològiques. Segon, l'esdeveniment d'importància decisiva en l'emergència de GAARlàndia no fou la baixada del nivell eustàtic de la mar, sinó l'aixecament d'un arc insular tot seguint el final de la seva fase magmàtica. A llavors, notar, com Hedges fa, que l'emergència de GAARlàndia no va estar correlacionada amb una baixada identificable principal -encara que fos correcte-no és pertinent al problema plantejat. Ni ho són les incerteses de les datacions, tant de les baixades com de l'esdeveniment d'aixecament. Finalment, encara que el moviment de les corrents de superfície marines està afectat per la força de Coriolis, el vent és molt més important per al moviment dels objectes sobre la superfície. Experiments reals revelen que aquests moviments són significativament caòtics, cosa que condueix a que el transport passiu virtualment mai esdevindrà en línia recta. Com a resultat, encara que els objectes transportats pels rius de Sud Amèrica eventualment poden embarrancar a les costes del Carib, els temps de trànsit són probablement llargs. Aquest fet, tal volta més que qualsevol altre, condueix a que les llargues estades a la mar siguin un mètode improbable de dispersió exitosa per a moltes castes d'organismes. Òbviament, les investigacions geològiques i paleontològiques no poden falsar escenaris històrics, però poden subministrar termini ad quem per precisament el tipus d'esdeveniments en que els biogeògrafs insulars haurien d'estar interessats, tals com quan apareixen per primera vegada a una àrea ambients desitjables per organismes terrestres, i quins organismes (representats per les seves restes) eren els primers en disposar de l'avantatge d'aquestes noves terres.
A Geographic Perspective of Cuba’s Changing Landscapes
Springer eBooks, 2022
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The Representation of the West Indies in Early Iberian Cartography: A Cartometric Approach
Terrae Incognitae, 2015
The earliest extant cartographic representation of the Americas is on the 1500 planisphere by the Cantabrian pilot Juan de la Cosa. On this nautical chart, the New World is represented according to the information collected by Spanish, English and Portuguese explorers in the last years of the fifteenth century. One of its most striking features is the large size of the Antilles, which are represented with a remarkably exaggerated scale relative to Europe. This feature was later replicated in the Cantino (1502), the Caverio (c. 1504) and many other planispheres of the first quarter of the sixteenth century. In this article, the results of a cartometric analysis of a sample of nautical charts, from 1500 to 1525, are presented and discussed with the aim to better understand how the representation of the Caribbean Sea evolved over time. The analysis has shown that the earliest charts in which the mistake in proportion was fully corrected are the Castiglione and the Salviati planispheres of 1525, both produced by the Casa de Contratación of Seville. It is further concluded that the Spanish cartographic production of the Casa was the object of a considerable improvement, in quantity and quality, as a result of the Magellan-Elcano circumnavigation of 1519–22. This was made possible by the technical assistance of Portuguese cartographers and pilots during the preparation and execution of the voyage.
La hipòtesi de GAARlàndia (Iturralde-Vinent & MacPhee, 1999) especifica que una llengua de terra, capaç d'actuar com a via de dispersió per a organismes terrestres, va connectar les futures Antilles Majors amb la vorera del nord-oest de Sud Amèrica durant un període curt cap a la transició Eocè/Oligocè. Hedges (2001) ha criticat aquesta hipòtesi sota diferents prismes, i a aquest treball tractam de replicar algunes de les seves objeccions, tenint en compte l'evidència més recent que tenim sobre les següents tres qüestions: (1) Quant ha durat la presència dels ambients terrestres actuals de la conca del Carib? (2) Quines han estat les dates d'emergència més probables per a les illes que tenen aquests ambients? (3) Quin efecte tenen les corrents de superfície marines sobre la distribució dels objectes que suren a l'àrea del Carib? Primer, en contra del que diu Hedges, encara no hi ha evidència geològica per a donar suport a una continuïtat als ambients terrestres del Carib abans de fa 37 Ma. A llavors, la pretensió d'Hedges que com a mínim algunes entitats biòtiques haurien persistit in situ per períodes de més de 37 Ma (la data més primerenca suportada per tal evidència), com a mínim a algunes de les illes actuals, encara no es pot mantenir sobre bases geològiques. Segon, l'esdeveniment d'importància decisiva en l'emergència de GAARlàndia no fou la baixada del nivell eustàtic de la mar, sinó l'aixecament d'un arc insular tot seguint el final de la seva fase magmàtica. A llavors, notar, com Hedges fa, que l'emergència de GAARlàndia no va estar correlacionada amb una baixada identificable principal -encara que fos correcte-no és pertinent al problema plantejat. Ni ho són les incerteses de les datacions, tant de les baixades com de l'esdeveniment d'aixecament. Finalment, encara que el moviment de les corrents de superfície marines està afectat per la força de Coriolis, el vent és molt més important per al moviment dels objectes sobre la superfície. Experiments reals revelen que aquests moviments són significativament caòtics, cosa que condueix a que el transport passiu virtualment mai esdevindrà en línia recta. Com a resultat, encara que els objectes transportats pels rius de Sud Amèrica eventualment poden embarrancar a les costes del Carib, els temps de trànsit són probablement llargs. Aquest fet, tal volta més que qualsevol altre, condueix a que les llargues estades a la mar siguin un mètode improbable de dispersió exitosa per a moltes castes d'organismes. Òbviament, les investigacions geològiques i paleontològiques no poden falsar escenaris històrics, però poden subministrar termini ad quem per precisament el tipus d'esdeveniments en que els biogeògrafs insulars haurien d'estar interessats, tals com quan apareixen per primera vegada a una àrea ambients desitjables per organismes terrestres, i quins organismes (representats per les seves restes) eren els primers en disposar de l'avantatge d'aquestes noves terres.
In the early nineteenth century, the Western Caribbean, particularly the Archipelago of San Andres, Old Providence, and Santa Catalina, became the focal point of ambitious hydrographic surveys. Despite the region's rich maritime heritage, challenges posed by complex geomorphology, frequent hurricanes, and cold fronts led to historical charting inadequacies, turning the Archipelago into a perilous ship trap. This study delves into the Spanish Armada (1804-05) and the Royal Navy (1833-36) hydrographic surveys to interpret the Maritime Cultural Landscape (MCL) of the archipelago. The importance of the archipelago as a link between South America, the Isthmus of Panama, Havana (Cuba), and Europe highlights the significance of these surveys. A comparative analysis of the Spanish and British methods offers insights into their strategies amid the perilous survey environment. While integration of Spanish nautical information into the British survey is evident, it culminated in the wreck of HMS Jackdaw, illustrating mapping expedition complexities. This paper also evaluates the accuracy of British cartography using Geographic Information System (GIS) methodologies. By overlaying the 1835 Old Providence Island chart onto contemporary 2021 cartography, we showcase the standards and precision of British surveys through an analysis of coastline and hydrographic soundings. Personal memoirs, official records, and descriptive accounts weave the narrative of the rich MCL, emphasizing its historical importance, the region's maritime identity, and the intertwining of environmental factors and cultural heritage.
Geological Society London Special Publications
Within the last decade, modern petrological and geochronological methods in combination with detailed studies of the field geology have allowed the reconstruction of tectonic processes in the northwestern part of the Caribbean Plate. The development of an oceanic Proto-Yucatan Basin can be traced from the Late Jurassic to the Mid-Cretaceous. From the Mid-Cretaceous onward, an interaction of this basin with the Caribbean Arc can be observed. Geochronological data prove continuous magmatic activity and generation of HP mineral suites in the Caribbean Arc from the Aptian to the Campanian/Maastrichtian. Magmatism ceased at least in onshore central Cuba at about 75 Ma, probably as the southern edge of the continental Yucatan Block began to interact with the advancing arc system. Similarly, the youngest recorded ages for peak metamorphism of high-pressure metamorphic rocks in Cuba cluster at 70 Ma; rapid uplift/exhumation of these rocks occurred thereafter. After this latest Cretaceous in...
The geology of Cuba: A brief overview and synthesis
GSA today, 2016
Cuba is the largest island in the Greater Antilles, and its geology records three important episodes: (1) the Jurassic breakup of North and South America (Pangea) and associated passive margin and oceanic sedimentary and magmatic evolution; (2) the sedimentary, magmatic, and metamorphic evolution of an intra-oceanic Cretaceous-Paleogene ophiolite-arc complex; and (3) the Paleogene "soft collision" and transfer of the NW Caribbean plate (and Cuba) to the North American plate. Thick sequences of Jurassic-Cretaceous strata (conglomerates, sandstones, limestones, dolostones, shales) and interlayered basaltic rocks characterize passive margin sequences preserved in the Guaniguanico terrane (western Cuba, related to the Mayan passive margin and the Gulf of Mexico) and the Bahamas Platform borderlands (north of Cuba). Passive margin deposition ceased in latest Cretaceous time, when increasing relief of accreted (overriding) oceanic arc and ophiolite complexes shed coarse sediments (olistostrome and flysch), followed by carbonate deposition. Fragments of the intervening oceanic lithosphere (Proto-Caribbean, connected to the Central Atlantic) and fore-and back-arc oceanic lithosphere (Caribbean, of Pacific origin) occur as tectonic fragments detached from the ophiolitic units, including serpentinized harzburgites and dunites, banded and isotropic gabbros, basalts (tholeiitic and fore-arc basalts, locally with boninites) and Late Jurassic (Tithonian) through Late Cretaceous (Coniacian and younger) oceanic sediments. Arc activity in the Cuban segment of the Greater Antilles produced sedimentary, volcanic, and plutonic rocks during Cretaceous times (ca. 135-70 Ma). A new arc developed in eastern Cuba during Paleocene-middle Eocene times. Cuban arc sequences include island-arc tholeiitic, calcalkaline, and alkaline bimodal suites of volcanic and plutonic rocks. Remnants of Proto-Caribbean oceanic lithosphere occur as exhumed mélangebearing eclogite-, blueschist-, and garnet-amphibolite-facies tectonic blocks (oldest age ca. 120 Ma) within a serpentinite matrix intercalated with, or at the base of, the overthrusted ophiolitic bodies. Cuban Cretaceous arc magmatic activity ended due The geology of Cuba: A brief overview and synthesis to the subduction of Proto-Caribbean passive margin sequences of the Caribeana terrane, an offshore protuberance of Yucatan. This event formed strongly deformed high-pressure metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks at ca. 70 Ma, when the Caribbean plate began to collide with North America. The collision, which included overriding of the ophiolitic and arc units over both subducted and unsubducted passive margin sequences, also produced synorogenic basins and filled them, a process that continued until ca. 40 Ma. This foldbelt was succeeded by local uplift and subsidence to form late Eocene-Recent unconformable post-orogenic continental basins.
Cuban Geology: A New Plate-Tectonic Synthesis
Journal of Petroleum Geology, 1994
Cuba is considered here to consist of two separate geological units: a foldbelt and a neoautochthon. The foldbelt can be subdivided into: (i) continental units, comprising Mesozoic Bahamian Platform and slope deposits, which are overlain by a Paleocene-Late Eocene foreland basin; and the Cuban SW terranes (Guaniguanico, Pinos and Escambray), which were probably originally attached to the Yucatan Platform; (ii) oceanic units, namely: the northern ophiolite belt; the Cretaceous (?Aptian Campanian) volcanic arc, which is overlain by a series of Latest Cretaceous-Late Eocene "piggy-back" basins; and the Paleocene-Middle Eocene volcanic arc which is overlain by a late-Middle-latest Eocene "piggy-back" basin. The neo-autochthon is composed of slightly-deformed, latest Eocene to Recent sedimentary rocks, which unconformably overlie the folded belt. A large number of tectonic models for the Caribbean area have been published in recent years, but rarely include modern data on the geology of Cuba. The Author here presents a plate-tectonic model for the western Caribbean which is based on the following premises: (i) opening of the Caribbean took place along several parallel rifts-zones, and a main transform fault located between the entrance of the Gulf of Mexico and the Demarara Plateau; (ii) the Cretaceous Greater Antilles volcanic arc faced the ProtoCaribbean Sea, and essentially northward-dipping subduction took place; and (iii) the western Caribbean Paleocene-Middle Eocene volcanic arc also faced the Caribbean Sea, with subduction dipping towards the NNW. Hydrocarbon production in Cuba comes from oilfields located in both continental and oceanic units. The Northern Oil Province coincides with the Bahamian platform and slope deposits and the Guaniguanico Terrain. The Southern Oil Province is represented by the latest Cretaceous-late Eocene sedimentary basins and the Cretaceous volcanic arc.
"Projections of Desire and Design in Early Modern Caribbean Maps"
Historical Journal, 2020
Iconic early European maps of the Caribbean depict neatly parcelled plantations, sugar mills, towns, and fortifications juxtaposed against untamed interiors sketched with runaway slaves and Indigenous toponyms. These extra-geographical symbols of racial and spatial meaning projected desire and design to powerful audiences. Abstractions about material life influenced colonial perceptions and actions upon a space, often to deleterious effects for the Indigenous and African people who were abused in tandem with the region's flora and fauna. The scientific revolution curbed these proscriptive and descriptive ‘thick-mapped’ features that offer historians an underexplored record of early colonial Caribbean life beyond the geographically descriptive. Before this shift from mystery to mastery, the early correlation of colonization and cartography in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries provides a fascinating glimpse into the process of creating the Americas. This article offers ideas for deconstructing old maps as new sources for historians of the early Atlantic World. As digital readers may explore through the roughly fifty maps linked via the footnotes, their informative spectacle naturalized colonialism upon lived and imagined race and space, created an exoticized, commodified Caribbean, and facilitated wealth extraction projects of competing empires made profitable by African labour on Indigenous land.
2011
Maker of the map is PB (the keeper of the collection suggests that the maker MIGHT be Philippe Buache, although no direct evidence exists). Outside the frame is printed: "A Paris sur le quay de la Megisserie au St. Esprit. Avec privilege du Roy". Portef. 188, No. 154. A New and Accurate Map of the Island of Antigua or Antego, (4) 1747, Bowen, black and white facsimile (reduced in scale), 24 by 32 cm.. Information from the David Rumsey Collection: Full Title: A new and accurate map of the island of Antigua or Antego, taken from surveys, and adjusted by astronl. observations. Containing all the towns, parish churches, forts, castles, windmills, roads &c. By Eman. Bowen.
Geological development of Cuba
Zeitschrift für …, 2000
The geology of Cuba is a record of the Late Cretaceous to Paleogene collision between a northeastward-moving Cretaceous island are and the heterogeneous, serrated continental margin of North America. A stack of nappes composed of typical passive margin sediments from the Yucatan Peninsula is exposed in Western Cuba. Central Cuba contains the suture zone between the island are and associated ophiolites to the south with the carbonate-dominated margin of the Bahamas platform to the north. lsolated metamorphic complexes with high-pressure rocks are exposed south of the suture in tectonic windows, in which ages of 140 Ma have been obtained for high-pressure metamorphism in eclogites and blueschists. A younger, Paleogene island are is exposed in the Sierra Maestra of Eastern Cuba. The collision first involved oblique interaction with the NE-trending Yucatan margin, perhaps as early as the Cenomanian, before direct docking on the NW-trending margin of the Bahamas platform occurred. We suggest that the younger Paleogene are was initiated by polarity reversa! after docking of the north-facing Cretaceous are. The 140 Ma age from the high-pressure rocks indicates that the Cretaceous island are may have incorporated rocks originally metamorphosed a long the western margin of the Americas. SH 1 (2000) 1 Sonderl1eft ZAG
The interpretation of Caribbean paleogeography: reply to Hedges
Proceedings of the …, 2005
Resum La hipòtesi de GAARlàndia (Iturralde-Vinent & MacPhee, 1999) especifica que una llengua de terra, capaç d'actuar com a via de dispersió per a organismes terrestres, va connectar les futures Antilles Majors amb la vorera del nord-oest de Sud Amèrica durant un període curt cap a la transició Eocè/Oligocè. Hedges (2001) ha criticat aquesta hipòtesi sota diferents prismes, i a aquest treball tractam de replicar algunes de les seves objeccions, tenint en compte l'evidència més recent que tenim sobre les següents tres qüestions: (1) Quant ha durat la presència dels ambients terrestres actuals de la conca del Carib? (2) Quines han estat les dates d'emergència més probables per a les illes que tenen aquests ambients? (3) Quin efecte tenen les corrents de superfície marines sobre la distribució dels objectes que suren a l'àrea del Carib? Primer, en contra del que diu Hedges, encara no hi ha evidència geològica per a donar suport a una continuïtat als ambients terrestres del Carib abans de fa 37 Ma. A llavors, la pretensió d'Hedges que com a mínim algunes entitats biòtiques haurien persistit in situ per períodes de més de 37 Ma (la data més primerenca suportada per tal evidència), com a mínim a algunes de les illes actuals, encara no es pot mantenir sobre bases geològiques. Segon, l'esdeveniment d'importància decisiva en l'emergència de GAARlàndia no fou la baixada del nivell eustàtic de la mar, sinó l'aixecament d'un arc insular tot seguint el final de la seva fase magmàtica. A llavors, notar, com Hedges fa, que l'emergència de GAARlàndia no va estar correlacionada amb una baixada identificable principal-encara que fos correcte-no és pertinent al problema plantejat. Ni ho són les incerteses de les datacions, tant de les baixades com de l'esdeveniment d'aixecament. Finalment, encara que el moviment de les corrents de superfície marines està afectat per la força de Coriolis, el vent és molt més important per al moviment dels objectes sobre la superfície. Experiments reals revelen que aquests moviments són significativament caòtics, cosa que condueix a que el transport passiu virtualment mai esdevindrà en línia recta. Com a resultat, encara que els objectes transportats pels rius de Sud Amèrica eventualment poden embarrancar a les costes del Carib, els temps de trànsit són probablement llargs. Aquest fet, tal volta més que qualsevol altre, condueix a que les llargues estades a la mar siguin un mètode improbable de dispersió exitosa per a moltes castes d'organismes. Òbviament, les investigacions geològiques i paleontològiques no poden falsar escenaris històrics, però poden subministrar termini ad quem per precisament el tipus d'esdeveniments en que els biogeògrafs insulars haurien d'estar interessats, tals com quan apareixen per primera vegada a una àrea ambients desitjables per organismes terrestres, i quins organismes (representats per les seves restes) eren els primers en disposar de l'avantatge d'aquestes noves terres.