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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>All, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>I am pleased to announce the publication by Brill, Leiden of my book:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>“The Enigma of the Origin of Portolan Charts. A Geodetic Analysis of the Hypothesis of a Medieval Origin”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><a href="http://www.brill.com/products/book/enigma-origin-portolan-charts">http://www.brill.com/products/book/enigma-origin-portolan-charts</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:14.25pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US>ISBN-10: 9004282971<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:0in;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:14.25pt;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;background:white'><![if !supportLists]><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN-US>ISBN-13: 978-9004282971<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>The book is a revised and updated version of my dissertation from 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Abstract:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>The sudden appearance of portolan charts, realistic nautical charts of the Mediterranean and Black Sea, at the end of the thirteenth century is one of the most significant occurrences in the history of cartography. Using geodetic and statistical analysis techniques these charts are shown to be mosaics of partial charts that are considerably more accurate than has been assumed. Their accuracy exceeds medieval mapping capabilities. These sub-charts show a remarkably good agreement with the Mercator map projection. It is demonstrated that this map projection can only have been an intentional feature of the charts’ construction. Through geodetic analysis the author eliminates the possibility that the charts are original products of a medieval Mediterranean nautical culture, which until now they have been widely believed to be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Roel Nicolai<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>