ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Dieppe maps

Okay kiddo, let me explain what Dieppe maps are.

When a long time ago mapmakers wanted to make a map of a place, they would draw it by hand. But drawing a whole place from scratch in one go is difficult, so sometimes they would use different parts of the map and put them together like a puzzle- this is called a composite map.

Dieppe maps are a specific type of composite map that were popular in France in the 16th century. They were made by putting together different parts of other maps, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, to create a sort of big overview map.

What's really cool about Dieppe maps is that they often included things that weren't normally shown on maps. For example, they might have illustrations of sea creatures or boats. This made them more interesting to look at and gave people an idea of what the place looked like beyond just the geography.

Overall, Dieppe maps were important because they helped people understand different parts of the world and could be used for navigation. Nowadays, we have more advanced technology like Google maps, but it's still fascinating to look back on these old maps as a way to learn about history and geography.