Abstract
Abstract. Although they are discussed less frequently than his maps of the Balkans, Heinrich Kiepert's maps of Anatolia, and those of the Aegean coast in particular, nevertheless occupy a prominent place in his work. First published between the 1840s and the 1890s, Kiepert's maps reflect the way in which the German “classical Orient” depicted by Said (Said, 1978) became increasingly "real" over the years and emerged as a target for strategic and imperialist penetration. While their archaeological orientation tended to eclipse their ties to the German and Ottoman military, this analysis reveals how civil and military investigations were intertwined from the outset, and linked to a desire for national prestige. Based on the archives of the State Library in Berlin, the Secret State Archives of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Ottoman State Archives, this article aims to highlight the ambivalence and different facets of Heinrich Kiepert's cartographic project in Anatolia. The context of his work will be analyzed in order to understand the conditions under which his cartography was produced and the transimperial exchanges that shaped it.
Highlights
Among the territories mapped by German cartographer Heinrich Kiepert (1818-1899), the Ottoman Empire takes pride of place
Kiepert's cartographic project developed its full scope through the data collected by the Moltke mission: the map of Asia Minor that Kiepert published in 1844 and the editions that followed were to a certain extent the result of the work of the Prussian military mission
The Prussian maps of Anatolia that were produced between the 1830s and the 1890s relied heavily on German and Ottoman military data, contributions that were often hidden by the name of Kiepert
Summary
Among the territories mapped by German cartographer Heinrich Kiepert (1818-1899), the Ottoman Empire takes pride of place. With the support of Friedrich von Eichhorn, the Minister of Public Instruction and Worship, and Ignaz von Olfers, the Director General of the Royal Museums, the Prussians had the task of discovering antique remains3 While preparing for his trip, August Schönborn complained about the lack of accurate maps of Asia Minor, and Kiepert was charged with making original topographic surveys. In the spring of 1888, he traveled to Aydin and again to Lesbos, which allowed him to publish two new maps of the island upon his return to Berlin The second of these maps illustrated the work of the German archaeologist Robert Koldewey (1855-1925), who was excavating on the Aegean coast at the time before turning his attention to Mesopotamia. This map was initially intended to benefit archaeologists, and remained known for this reason, it was later used as a basis for military cartography, as we will see
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