About mapmyths.com

Hello, and welcome to Map Myths!

Headshot of Henry Patton sitting in front of maps hanging on the wall.

My name is Dr Henry Patton, creator and author of this website. Professionally, I obtained my PhD in Glaciology, but have always held a keen interest in maps and how they evolved as the world was explored.

Map Myths is all about the stories and legends associated with places on historic maps that have now vanished. Why did they disappear, and how did cartographers imagine the empty spaces beyond the known world?

I love to spend hours digging through the archives and original sources of past cartographers, explorers, pirates, whalers, etc., to deliver you these fascinating tales from the depths of history.

Map Myths began life as an interactive map, blending this phantom geography with our modern world view. The blog was started in late 2024 as a way to delve deeper into the history and characters behind these myths.

Don’t forget to sign onto the mailing list below to get notified of new blog posts, or give us a follow on Bluesky.

If you wish to contact me about Map Myths, the form on this page will reach my inbox.