Terrestrial Globe

This is a bronze terrestrial globe measuring 24 cm in diameter. Among Korean records of terrestrial globes is mention of a 'yeojigu' that Crown Prince Sohyeon is said to have brought back from Beijing in 1645, the twenty-third year of King Injo, as well as records of a terrestrial globe attached to an armillary clock. This globe, kept at the Museum of Soongsil University, is thought to have been made by Choe Han-gi. Lines of longitude and latitude are marked at 10-degree intervals, along with the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn and the ecliptic. The twenty-four solar terms, including the summer and winter solstices, are inscribed along the ecliptic. A bowl-shaped stand was carved from zelkova wood, and a bronze ring engraved with a 360-degree scale was fixed on top of it. The ring is made large enough to hold the globe, and is designed so that the globe's north–south axis rests horizontally within it. The making of terrestrial globes played an important role in the history of cartography, contributing to the understanding of map projection and to more precise map-making. This globe is highly valued as the only surviving artefact made for the purpose of being a terrestrial globe in its own right.

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Where it is

Region

Dongjak-gu, Seoul

Designation

Treasure · 보물