The Ebstorf map is the largest surviving medieval world maps of the VIII-XIII centuries. It was lost during the bombing of Hanover in 1943.
It contained more than 1,600 inscriptions indicating not only geographical objects, but also natural features, as well as events of biblical history and classical mythology.
The map creation is associated with the name of Gervase of Tilbury, the head of the Ebstorf monastery, where it was found in the XIX century.
The map contains almost the first cartographic expression of such toponyms as Polotsk (Plosceke), Smolensk (Smalentike), Neman (Memela), Livonia (Livonie), Riga (Riga). Although Polotsk and Smolensk ended up on the same river – the Dvina, and Smolensk turned out to be closer to the sea than in reality. Novgorod and Kiev also appeared on the same river.
The map represented an eschatological model of the world, a kind of icon, on the timeless field of which the Beginning and the End of the World were demonstrated. The Earth is represented as the body of Christ (the head is in the East, the hands folded in prayer are turned towards the viewer — in the North and South, the feet of Christ is in the West), followed by quotes from Psalm 117:16