18 June 2013

Defining Lines: Cartography in the Age of Empire — Duke University

Map of the West Coast of Africa from Sierra Leone
to Cape Palmas, including the colony of Liberia
, 1830.
The Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University will host an exhibit entitled "Lines of Control" between September 19, 2013, and February 2, 2014.  The exhibit focuses on the meaning of borders and part of the exhibit is called "Defining Lines: Cartography in the Age of Empire," and features presentations on the cartography of borders from Duke University undergraduate students in the BorderWork(s) Lab.  As part of this exhibit, BorderWork(s) students have posted videos explaining exploration, imperialism, cartography, and borders, such as this video on Africa by Lauren Jackson.

09 June 2013

La Salle's Great Lakes Ship Found?

Woodcut of La Salle's Le Griffon, lost on the Great Lakes in 1679.
(From Father Louis Hennipin, Nouvelle Decouverte, Utrecht, 1697.)

The Great Lakes Exploration Group is soon set to take French archaeologists to the floor of Lake Michigan to determine if the wreckage they have found are indeed the remains of Le Griffon, that disappeared, presumed sunk, in 1679.  Le Griffon was built by order of the famed French explorer RenĂ©-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.