| Abstract [eng] |
One of the most important roles in acknowledgement of historical landscape of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (hereafter – GDL) goes to historical cartography and maps or plans of local territories. Old manuscript cartographical sources are also unique in understanding the world-view of map creators and their ability to depict surrounding world in the twodimensional form. Manuscript plans and schemes of different lands, villages and towns of the former GDL, discussed in this article, are kept in the Vilnius University Library Manuscript Department’s Land Plans Collection. These documents are unique monuments of the historical geography of the GDL, reflecting 16th–19th century landowning processes and social dynamics. Cartographical marks and symbols sketched in maps or plans are the main reflection of this territory’s old landscape. The article analyses original map marks and signs. The first part of the article presents and describes manuscript collection of the Vilnius University Library; in the second part – the main attention is given to the content of manuscript cartography – research of hydrographical (system of rivers, lakes, etc.), relief (hills, ditches, valleys, etc.), land (forests, parks, swamps, feeds, etc.) settlement (cities, villages, inns, estates, etc.), communication (road system, bridges) and historical-cultural (mounds, religion architecture, mills, cemeteries, etc.) geographical objects. |
