Here there be dragons?

[talwynor]

I've read the above referenced quote in various forms in numerous contexts, but have no clue where it appeared orginally. I'm assuming it's a passage from a book? If anybody could clue me in, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[Turjan]

Well, according to this site the practice of labelling unknown territory on maps and globes with "Here there be dragons" can not be proven, although everybody seems to know about it . The only example given are the words "hic sunt dracones" on the Lenox Globe from 1503-07. Anyway, it's a nice tradition in modern times .

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I'm pretty sure it's a reference to old maps saying "here be dragons" or some variation wherever the cartographer didn't know what was actually there. I'm not really sure if that's even true, though.

 

[shilsen]

I'm pretty sure it's a reference to old maps saying "here be dragons" or some variation wherever the cartographer didn't know what was actually there. I'm not really sure if that's even true, though.

That's definitely the general theory, but I have to say that I haven't seen any ancient maps (and I've seen a fair number) which used that phrase. Still, it's a nice story

 

[Edgewood]

I have seen the phrase "Here be monsters" on old sea maps from Cartier's and Champlain's time (late 16th century). There are some at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

 

[Fieari]

Well, even if the WORDS "Here be dragons" didn't appear on old maps, pictures of dragons and other monster DEFINITELY did. I'm guessing the phrase comes from the reader of the map interpreting the map to others. "And what's over here?" "Here be dragons." "Ah, so we're probably not headed in that direction today, are we." "No. No we are not."