Jerusalem, a city revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims, has been depicted on legions of maps, probably earlier and more frequently than any other city. This talk will survey the maps of Jerusalem through time, from the 6th century Madaba Mosaic map, to the early accurate maps from the late 19th century. Some of the maps depicted a realistic view of Jerusalem but many others are imaginary images of Jerusalem of the Holy Scriptures. Therefore the maps serve as a mirror through which we can look at the development of Jerusalem on one hand and at the perceptions of the Holy City held by European scholars and map-makers on the other hand.
The event is co-organized by the Library and Division of Social Science. Prof. Kellee Tsai, Division Head and Chair Professor of Social Science, will introduce Prof. Rubin before the talk.
A reception will be held before the talk at 12:30.
Attendees can expect to acquire knowledge of the following:
- About historical-cultural aspects of Jerusalem and the Holy Land.
- Develop and deepen interests for geography and history.
- Develop artistic skills in appreciating historical maps and some basic skills and dimensions in appreciating maps.
- Admire the valuable special maps collection.
Registration
Register at Library Event Registration.
HKUST students may attain 1 hour credit for the HLTH1010 Healthy Lifestyle Course after attending the talk. Please show SID card on arrival for registration.
Professor Rehav Rubin
Prof. Rubin is a professor at the Department of Geography at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; he is currently the Elman Family Visiting Professor of Jewish and Israeli Studies in the Division of Social Science at HKUST. His main areas of research and teaching is the history of cartography and mapping of Jerusalem and the Holy Land; geographical aspects of pilgrimage and Holy Places; historical geography of Israel/Palestine, especially in late antiquity.
