--> YouTube-Generated Transcript <-- · Introduction 0:00 · i'm in hereford cathedral today for a 0:02 · vision 0:03 · not just any vision 0:04 · a vision of the entire universe 0:14 · [Music] 0:21 · so 0:23 · [Music] 0:41 · hereford cathedral is a magnificent 0:44 · medieval structure 0:46 · standing in the center of an idyllic 0:48 · small town in the southwest of england 0:50 · it forms the spiritual heart of a rural 0:53 · area with beautiful landscapes and lots 0:55 · of agriculture 0:57 · i have come to see one of its greatest 1:00 · treasures 1:01 · the hereford mapa mundi a medieval map 1:04 · of the world · The Hereford Mappa Mundi 1:07 · hi i'm dr carl frey and this is lagasse 1:10 · media where we make advanced historical 1:12 · knowledge both accessible and fun thank 1:14 · you very much for tuning in what i want 1:16 · to do today is i guess ask you to 1:19 · subscribe to the channel but other than 1:21 · that 1:22 · travel back in time 700 years all the 1:26 · way to the 13th century 1:28 · there i want to travel with you across 1:31 · the hereford world map to take a look at 1:33 · what the world was like back then this 1:35 · was a world very different from the 1:37 · world we live in now there were no 1:39 · airplanes there was no netflix amazon 1:42 · didn't exist shakespeare hadn't been 1:44 · born in fact this world was still 1:46 · populated by wonder and mystery god the 1:50 · great creator was part of everything 1:52 · that people could feel touch see and 1:55 · hear and the outer edges of the world 1:58 · were allegedly populated by strange 2:00 · peoples people who had feet as big as 2:03 · umbrellas or perhaps faces in their 2:05 · chest nobody knew 2:07 · and nobody knew what was beyond the 2:10 · places where those people lived perhaps 2:12 · those were the dwelling places of 2:14 · mythical creatures like dragons or 2:16 · elephants or crocodiles 2:19 · all right because we're talking about a 2:20 · medieval map today i promise to shed 2:23 · some light on a mystery i know you've 2:25 · heard about before and that is that 2:27 · medieval people believed that the world 2:30 · was flat 2:32 · but did they 2:33 · in fact they didn't the hereford map 2:35 · tells us why 2:37 · it all starts with the name of the thing 2:40 · mapa mundi 2:41 · that is a latin phrase that nowadays is 2:43 · often translated as map of the world but 2:46 · to my mind this is actually a 2:48 · mistranslation latin mapa in the 13th 2:51 · century actually didn't mean map in the 2:53 · modern sense at that time it meant cloth 2:57 · or textile this is also the reason why 2:59 · the english words napkin nappy and map 3:03 · all sound a bit similar and that is 3:05 · because they all look back to that same 3:07 · latin word mafa which used to mean cloth 3:11 · so not only is the hereford world map 3:13 · not a modern map it is actually not a 3:16 · map in the modern sense of the word 3:19 · if you would try to find your way from 3:21 · england to scotland on this map you'd be 3:23 · hopelessly lost those countries are not 3:26 · represented in any way as they would be 3:29 · represented on a modern map they're 3:31 · hardly recognizable and it's very 3:32 · difficult to find hereford on the map 3:35 · even though the map is probably produced 3:37 · there this map it doesn't do scales it 3:40 · doesn't do roots it doesn't do roads and 3:43 · it certainly doesn't do accurate 3:44 · coastlines you're not the only one if · The Pilgrims 3:46 · that would leave you at a bit of a loss 3:48 · as to where to find hereford on the map 3:52 · in fact back in the day in the 13th 3:54 · century pilgrims that would come into 3:56 · hereford cathedral with one specific 3:58 · purpose and that was to visit the shrine 4:01 · of thomas cantaloupe it was a bishop who 4:04 · presided over the cathedral at around 4:06 · the same time the map was made after 4:09 · visiting that shrine they returned to 4:11 · the hereford world map which was 4:13 · displayed in the cathedral and there 4:15 · they would try of course to look at 4:17 · where they were 4:19 · and so they would stand together or 4:22 · alone for hours and hours i imagine just 4:25 · looking at all these places and not 4:27 · knowing where to find hereford 4:30 · until finally maybe one pilgrim would be 4:33 · able to find it in the sheer joy of that 4:36 · moment of discovery he would point at 4:38 · the map and place his finger on the name 4:42 · hereford 4:43 · and in fact · The Hereford World Map 4:44 · all this behavior over time has led to 4:47 · the fact that hereford is all but rubbed 4:49 · off the map people just have kept 4:51 · pointing and pointing and pointing at it 4:53 · and now we can see where it is anymore 4:57 · the hereford world map was created long 5:00 · before columbus sailed the ocean blue in 5:02 · 1492 and for that reason america is not 5:05 · on there 5:06 · also the british isles look like a 5:08 · misshapen vegetable and are positioned 5:10 · awkwardly all the way to the edges of 5:13 · the frame hereford has been rubbed off 5:15 · beyond recognition 5:17 · what exactly is this map good for i hear 5:19 · you asking so let me get to that now 5:22 · the hereford world map is not actually 5:24 · an attempt to accurately map out the 5:27 · earth's geography 5:29 · instead it is an attempt to give a 5:31 · vision of god's creation 5:34 · remember this is a 13th century product 5:36 · so the center of the map we find the 5:39 · holiest place on earth jerusalem which 5:42 · by now has been a point of fascination 5:45 · for generations and generations of 5:47 · european crusaders 5:49 · not far from it we find the tower of 5:51 · babel which is of course the birthplace 5:53 · of all the earth's languages according 5:55 · to the bible and all the way in armenia 5:59 · we find noah's ark where medieval legend 6:01 · had it noah docked in on a mountaintop 6:04 · after the flood waters had preceded · Ancient civilizations 6:12 · medieval christians were very well aware 6:13 · that they'd inherited the world from the 6:15 · romans and from the greeks and for that 6:17 · reason we see some of the stories from 6:20 · these ancient civilizations on the 6:21 · hereford map as well 6:23 · let's take a look at crete 6:25 · here we see a structure of concentric 6:27 · rings that looks like a labyrinth and 6:29 · the reason it looks like a labyrinth is 6:31 · because it is 6:33 · crete during the middle ages was known 6:35 · as the historic home of the minotaur 6:38 · monster from ancient greece that had 6:40 · allegedly been half ball half man 6:43 · and that had had the nasty habit of 6:45 · eating seven boys and seven girls 6:48 · every seven years 6:50 · finally a greek hero by the name of 6:52 · theseus put a stop to all that but not 6:54 · before a lot of those boys and girls 6:57 · were made to wander into the cage of the 6:59 · minotaur which was in fact a labyrinth 7:03 · but what is perhaps even more important 7:04 · is what we see beyond the edges of the 7:06 · map 7:08 · medieval maps tend to point their top 7:10 · eastwards rather than northwards as we 7:12 · do today and the hereford mapamundi is 7:14 · no exception in fact they had stolen 7:17 · that practice from the romans but during 7:20 · christianity that idea of pointing the 7:22 · top of the map towards the rising sun 7:24 · towards the east became much more 7:26 · significant indeed if we look towards 7:29 · that top spot of the map we see the 7:31 · holiest sight of all 7:33 · jesus himself sitting enthroned like a 7:36 · lord watching over his earthly kingdom 7:40 · on his left we see the souls of the 7:42 · saved and they are allowed to rise up 7:45 · out of their coffins and to go to heaven 7:48 · on his right however we see the souls of 7:51 · the damned they are being led away by 7:53 · demons into the bestial mouth of hell 7:56 · where they are going to endure eternal 7:59 · torment · Conclusion 8:00 · here we come to an incredibly important 8:02 · conclusion about the hereford world map 8:05 · it is not just a depiction of space it 8:08 · is also a depiction of time it shows the 8:11 · world 8:12 · as it is yes but also as it was and how 8:16 · it will be 8:18 · the entire trajectory of humankind's 8:21 · history is recorded on the map from the 8:24 · very early beginnings with adam and eve 8:26 · in paradise 8:27 · through greek and roman antiquity and 8:30 · with the final possible destinations of 8:32 · either heaven and hell 8:34 · all of this is recorded on the map 8:37 · if it does not show pilgrim audiences in 8:40 · the cathedral of hereford where exactly 8:42 · they are 8:44 · it does tell them something else 8:46 · it tells them 8:47 · what they are 8:49 · and tells them where they have come from 8:52 · and where they should try to go · Did medieval people believe the earth was flat 8:59 · ordinarily i would call it a day now but 9:02 · i did make a promise earlier and i 9:04 · intend to keep it 9:05 · so 9:06 · did medieval people believe the earth 9:08 · was flat 9:09 · the short answer is no 9:12 · the hereford map is actually very clear 9:14 · that the world is an orb it says so in 9:17 · its description of the city of rome 9:19 · the reason the map is round is exactly 9:22 · the same as the reason why some modern 9:24 · maps around 9:25 · only shows half the globe 9:27 · medieval scholars followed ancient greek 9:29 · philosophers in supposing that our round 9:32 · planet was subdivided into five climate 9:35 · zones of those only the middle two were 9:38 · thought to be inhabitable 9:40 · nobody knew what happened on the other 9:42 · side of the world because it was 9:44 · allegedly impossible to traverse the 9:46 · death zone in the middle that separated 9:48 · the earth's two inhabitable parts 9:51 · the circular map we see in the cathedral 9:53 · of hereford is thus a projection of half 9:56 · of a full globe 9:58 · cool fact medieval scholars called the 10:00 · hypothetical people on the other side of 10:02 · the world the antipodes because those 10:04 · people supposedly had their feet against 10:07 · ours that's what antipodes means in 10:09 · ancient greek 10:14 · alright and with that i leave you you 10:16 · now have sacred knowledge to debunk one 10:18 · of the most common myths about the 10:20 · middle ages i hope you've had a good 10:22 · time traveling across the hereford world 10:23 · map with me if you feel you've gotten 10:26 · value from this video please consider 10:27 · subscribing liking sharing or 10:31 · what else can you do hit the 10:33 · notification bell thank you very very 10:35 · much for watching my name is dr carl 10:37 · frey this is elegast media and have a 10:39 · wonderful day
I watched the video. Very interesting. Well done. Thanks for posting.
It is on public display at Hereford Cathedral, where visitors can view it as part of the site's exhibits, including the adjacent Chained Library. The cathedral offers guided tours and an interactive website for closer exploration, with access details available on their official site.
(there's something about that time-stamped, short line, spaced format that causes my brain to freeze up)
I'm at Hereford Cathedral today to explore a vision—not just any vision, but a vision of the entire universe. Hereford Cathedral, a magnificent medieval structure, stands at the center of an idyllic small town in the southwest of England. It forms the spiritual heart of a rural area known for its beautiful landscapes and thriving agriculture. My purpose here is to see one of its greatest treasures: the Hereford Mappa Mundi, a medieval map of the world.
Hi, I'm Dr. Carl Frey, and this is Lagasse Media, where we make advanced historical knowledge both accessible and fun. Thank you for tuning in! Today, I invite you to subscribe to the channel and join me on a journey back 700 years to the 13th century. We'll explore the Hereford Mappa Mundi to understand what the world was like back then. This was a world vastly different from ours—no airplanes, no Netflix, no Amazon. Shakespeare hadn't been born, and the world was still filled with wonder and mystery. God, the great creator, was believed to be part of everything people could feel, touch, see, and hear. The outer edges of the world were thought to be inhabited by strange peoples—perhaps with feet as big as umbrellas or faces on their chests. Beyond them, no one knew what lay in wait—maybe mythical creatures like dragons, elephants, or crocodiles.
Today, I'll also address a common myth: that medieval people believed the Earth was flat. Spoiler alert: they didn't, and the Hereford Mappa Mundi helps explain why. The term Mappa Mundi is Latin, often translated as "map of the world," but this is a bit of a mistranslation. In the 13th century, mappa meant cloth or textile, not a map in the modern sense. This is why words like napkin, nappy, and map share a linguistic root. The Hereford Mappa Mundi isn't a modern map—you'd be hopelessly lost trying to navigate from England to Scotland with it. Countries are barely recognizable, and even Hereford itself is hard to find, despite the map likely being created there. It doesn't show scales, routes, roads, or accurate coastlines.
Pilgrims visiting Hereford Cathedral in the 13th century came with a specific purpose: to visit the shrine of Thomas Cantilupe, a bishop who presided over the cathedral around the time the map was made. After paying their respects, they would gather around the Mappa Mundi, displayed in the cathedral, and try to locate their position. They might stand for hours, puzzled, until one pilgrim finally spotted "Hereford" on the map. In their excitement, they would point at it, touching the name repeatedly. Over time, this constant pointing has nearly rubbed the word "Hereford" off the map, making it barely visible today.
The Hereford Mappa Mundi was created long before Columbus sailed in 1492, so America is notably absent. The British Isles are depicted as a misshapen vegetable, awkwardly positioned at the map's edges. With Hereford rubbed beyond recognition, you might wonder: what is this map good for? It's not an attempt to accurately map the Earth's geography. Instead, it's a vision of God's creation. At its center lies Jerusalem, the holiest place for medieval Christians and a focal point for generations of European crusaders. Nearby, the map shows the Tower of Babel, the biblical birthplace of all languages, and in Armenia, Noah's Ark, where medieval legend claimed Noah docked after the flood.
Medieval Christians knew they had inherited much from the Romans and Greeks, and the Hereford Mappa Mundi reflects this. For example, in Crete, we see a structure of concentric rings representing a labyrinth—the legendary home of the Minotaur, a half-bull, half-man monster from ancient Greek mythology. According to legend, the Minotaur devoured seven boys and seven girls every seven years until the Greek hero Theseus put an end to it. The map also incorporates stories from these ancient civilizations, blending them with Christian narratives.
Beyond the map's edges, we find another key feature. Unlike modern maps, which orient north at the top, medieval maps like the Mappa Mundi pointed east, a practice inherited from the Romans but imbued with Christian significance. The east, where the sun rises, was symbolically important. At the top of the map, we see Jesus enthroned, watching over his earthly kingdom. To his left, the souls of the saved rise from their coffins to ascend to heaven. To his right, the damned are led by demons into the bestial mouth of hell for eternal torment.
The Hereford Mappa Mundi is more than a depiction of space—it's also a depiction of time. It captures the entire trajectory of human history, from Adam and Eve in paradise, through Greek and Roman antiquity, to the ultimate destinations of heaven or hell. While it may not help pilgrims pinpoint their exact location, it tells them something far greater: what they are, where they've come from, and where they should aspire to go.
I promised to address this question, and here's the answer: no, medieval people did not believe the Earth was flat. The Hereford Mappa Mundi explicitly describes the world as an orb, particularly in its depiction of Rome. The map's circular shape mirrors modern maps that show half the globe. Medieval scholars, following ancient Greek philosophers, believed the Earth was a round planet divided into five climate zones, with only the middle two considered habitable. The other side of the world was a mystery, thought to be unreachable due to a "death zone" of extreme heat at the equator. They even called the hypothetical people on the other side antipodes, meaning those whose feet were opposite ours.
With that, you now have the knowledge to debunk one of the most persistent myths about the Middle Ages. I hope you've enjoyed traveling across the Hereford Mappa Mundi with me. If you found this video valuable, please consider subscribing, liking, sharing, or hitting the notification bell. Thank you for watching! I'm Dr. Carl Frey, this is Lagasse Media, and I wish you a wonderful day.