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Visual representations documenting geographical understanding of a crucial historical region during antiquity. These depictions, often created on clay tablets, papyrus, or other durable materials, showcase the spatial relationships of settlements, rivers, and other significant features as perceived by the civilizations inhabiting or interacting with the area now known as the Middle East.

Studying these historical depictions allows researchers to gain insight into the worldview, trade networks, military strategies, and intellectual achievements of ancient societies. These visual records provide critical data about ancient geography, including settlement locations and natural resource distribution. Furthermore, they illuminate how these societies perceived themselves in relation to their neighbors and the broader world.

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Representations of geography produced in antiquity that focus on the region spanning from the Eastern Mediterranean to Persia offer valuable insights into historical worldviews. These cartographic endeavors, often rendered on clay tablets, papyrus, or parchment, depict not only physical landscapes but also political boundaries, trade routes, and cultural centers as perceived by the civilizations that created them. A Babylonian world map, for instance, illustrates the known world centered around Babylon, surrounded by a circular ocean.

The significance of these historical geographical depictions lies in their ability to reveal the evolving understanding of the world. They provide evidence of inter-regional contact, the transmission of knowledge, and the development of cartographic techniques. Further, such documents shed light on the priorities and beliefs of past societies. The shapes of landmasses, the placement of settlements, and the inclusion of mythological elements all contribute to a more nuanced appreciation of the past.

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