The use of historical maps in landscape history and agricultural history

Abstract

This paper deals with the use of historical maps in landscape history and agricultural history. The history of cultural landscapes cannot be studied thoroughly without the use of historical maps, and several examples are given, where the most detailed map series, the cadaster map (original-1-kort, 1:4000) from c. 1800, has been used, especially in a digital version. However, other maps have also been used, especially topographical maps, for more recent landscape studies. Within the field of agricultural history, the spatial focus is not necessarily essential. As a consequence, it does not have the same tradition for use of historical maps, neither for analyses nor illustrations. Still, in particular the treatment of older agricultural history, historical maps have been more widely used, and especially the era around the agricultural reforms is often illustrated by many contemporary maps, produced as a result of the enclosure reforms.