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Matt is an upcoming Ph.D. graduate and archaeologist. He has taught Anthropology, Geography, and Art History at the university level.
Relief maps depict contours of landmarks and terrain, based on shape and height. They are made by cartographers, who collect geographic and demographic data and then translate that information into various map forms.
Relief maps are more advanced versions of topographic maps. Topographic maps use contour lines to connect areas of the same elevation to create two-dimensional models. What makes relief maps different than other maps is the emphasis on the three-dimensional elevation of topography, which is oftentimes exaggerated for visual effect. Shading is also used between contours for better visualization of terrain, known as shaded relief. Hypsometric tints, or color codes for elevation, employed for better visualization of relief map terrain, are also used.
Terrain can be manipulated by scale, or the ratio of the sizes on a map to the sizes of the actual source area. In the past, relief maps were made as miniature models, while today, sophisticated computer mapping programs, such as geographic information systems, are used to virtually represent terrain in three dimensions. Three-dimensional printing is also becoming a popular way to translate computer-made relief maps into physical models.
The earliest-known relief maps are from China, where three-dimensional models made from materials like wood and rice are described in historical accounts dating back nearly 2000 years. Scholars believe that the relief map traveled from China, through the Middle East, and eventually into Europe. The cartographer Paul Dox is credited with creating the first European relief map in 1510, which mapped the Kufstein, a mountainous region of northwestern Austria. Relief maps became key tools used in the age of exploration, as Europeans began to colonize new areas around the world. They also have become modern attractions. The Great Polish Map of Scotland is a scale model of Scotland built between 1974 and 1979 that's over 21,000 square feet in size, making it the largest relief map on record.
Today, computers do most of the work needed to create relief maps, but skilled cartographers still need to create them. Modern globes also use raised relief to illustrate terrain. Nevertheless, older handmade relief maps have become heirlooms and works of art, and there are many restoration projects which seek to preserve handmade relief maps.
The principal software used in mapping today is known as a geographic information system, which allows mapping and analysis of massive amounts of data from a single database to create a variety of different maps, including relief maps. Computerized relief maps are used to map everything from continental terrain to more complex areas not even accessible to humans. Sonar can be used to gain elevation data for relief maps of the seafloor, which is known as bathymetry. Today, lasers are some of the most advanced and accurate ways to obtain relief map elevation data, which is known as LIDAR. Laser imaging has been used to create relief maps of distant celestial bodies using satellites, including in-depth relief maps of nearby planets such as Mars.
Relief maps are visually appealing maps used to emphasize terrain. Building from basic topography, relief maps utilize shading, coloring, scale, and three-dimensional raising of landscapes to create accurate models. Relief maps have been used for over 2,000 years, and are believed to have originated in China before eventually reaching Europe in the Middle Ages. Today, computerized mapping through geographic information systems, as well as satellite, sonar, and laser technology have allowed us to create relief maps of places far beyond access to humans, bringing these locations to us in accurate three-dimensional models.
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Introduction to Human Geography: Help and Review35 chapters | 365 lessons
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