The Imago Mundi, the oldest known world map, offers a rare glimpse into the way ancient Babylonians viewed their world.

Cuneiform uses wedge-shaped symbols – which describe the early creation of the world. The map also showcased Mesopotamia, the land of the rivers, and a historical area of the Middle East.

Alberto Cantino, an Italian spy, acquired a Portuguese map showing stunning finds in the New World. This story appears in the March/April 2017 issue of National Geographic History magazine.