PREreviews of “Evidence for Cognitive Spatial Models from Ancient Roman Land-Measurement”

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Evidence for Cognitive Spatial Models from Ancient Roman Land-Measurement

by Andrew M. Riggsby

Posted: February 3, 2025
Server: Preprints.org
DOI: 10.20944/preprints202502.0014.v1

Abstract

Influential studies in the history of cartography have argued that map-like representations of space were (virtually) unknown in the Classical Mediterranean world and that the cause of this was an absence of underlying cognitive maps. That is, persons in that time/place purportedly had only route/egocentric type mental representations, not survey/allocentric ones. The present study challenges that cognitive claim by examining the verbal descriptions of plots of land produced by ancient Roman land-measurers. Despite prescription of a route-based form, actual representations persistently show a variety of features which suggest the existence of underlying survey-type mental models and the integration of those with the route-type ones. This fits better with current views on interaction between types of spatial representation and of cultural difference in this area.

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PREreview by Chad Sansing et al.

Authored by Chad Sansing and 1 other author

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PREreview by Slategray Gorilla

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PREreview by Vanessa Fairhurst

Authored by Vanessa Fairhurst

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PREreviews of Evidence for Cognitive Spatial Models from Ancient Roman Land-Measurement

3 PREreviews

Competing interests