Differences in the Mapping of the Southern Coastline of the Baltic Sea on Historical Maps, in the XVI-XX Centuries

Abstract

The aim of this article was to examine the accuracy of representing the current Polish coastline on historical maps from XVI-XX centuries, in order to determine its suitability in spatial analysis. Ten historical maps containing the coastline of the southern part of the Baltic Sea from years 1593-1943, were used for the analysis. These were both general geographical maps, as well as marine or hydrological maps. The coastline of the Polish coast has been precisely digitized, and then the results were compared to the previously defined reference model. The reference model (model coastline) is a credibly depicted coastline of Poland, created with the use of precise measurement techniques. Digital conversion of historical maps allowed for a thorough examination of the similarities, and a chronological comparison presents the development of the art of cartography over five centuries.