Storied Maps

Abstract

This paper will explore the relation between maps and stories by looking at how meaning is construed from informational artifacts, and, in particular, from maps. A formal interpretation model, derived from the work of Erwin Panofsky, is applied to examine how meaning is brought to the map. The core issue is whether maps really do tell stories, or if that glib platitude hides a more complex relationship that would be advantageous to understand.