This book contains stunning images for use as a graphic resource, or inspiration. All the illustrations are stored in high-resolution format on the enclosed free CD-ROM and are ready to use for professional quality printed media and web page design. The pictures can also be used to produce postcards, or to decorate your letters, flyers, etc. They can be imported directly from the CD into most design, image- manipulation, illustration, word-processing and e-mail programs; no installation is required. For most applications, single images can be used free of charge. Please consult the introduction to this book, or visit our website for conditions. This is a book showing how curious maps can be, and how beautifully they can be executed. The selection is of great diversity in appearance and meaning; there are comparative overviews of the length of rivers and the height of mountains, nautical charts, medieval city plans, and maps from pre-historical times. Also included are historical schemes showing how to make and read maps, and maps with a double meaning. Historical & Curious Maps contains a collection of amazing and beautifully made maps that have been chosen on visual impact and uncommonness. The selection is of great diversity in appearance and meaning; there are comparative overviews of the length of rivers and the height of mountains, nautical charts, medieval city plans, and maps from pre-historical times. Also included are images of how Europeans perceived the world to look like many centuries ago, highly detailed bird's-eye maps from Japan, and archaic, captivating charts made by Native Americans and Australian Aboriginals. Furthermore, there are a number of very extraordinary maps with a double meaning. Of some maps, details are shown in the book. The CD-ROM, however, contains all the maps in full.