According to some sources, there are at least two nautical maps from the 16th century, which depict the coastline of Antarctica. The coastline in question has been buried under a thick layer of ice for thousands of years.

One of the most famous maps featuring the coastline is the one created by Ottoman navigator Admiral Piri Ibn Haji Memmed, also known as Piri Re’is, in 1513. The original map was found partially destroyed in the ruins of Istanbul’s Topkapi Palace in 1929 and has since generated great interest. Despite missing half of the map, it appears to accurately depict the relative longitudes of Africa, Europe, and South America, which is quite an achievement, considering it was drawn more than 200 years before John Harrison’s sea-clock was invented. What’s even more impressive is that it shows the northern coast of Antarctica, which was only recognized as a landmass 300 years later. Piri’s notes also refer to other maps, including one created by Columbus which is lost, and others from Alexander’s time.

According to Professor Charles Hapgood’s book Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings, maps like Piri Re’is’s may hint at an advanced seafaring civilization that existed around 12,000 years ago. He believes that remnants of this civilization’s knowledge survived in the Alexandrian library until its destruction in AD640 and were later incorporated into maps. However, some people, including Graham Hancock, have recycled Hapgood’s ideas, but the truth may be less romantic.

Since ancient times, it was believed that there must be a great landmass in the southern hemisphere to balance those in the north. During the time when these maps were created, cartographers tended to make up imaginary lands, using a standard practice of the time. This imaginary land was known as Terra Incognita Australis, aka the Unknown Southern Land and appeared on several maps, including the 1531 Oronteus Finaeus map, which is often cited to support Hapgood’s claims. It’s possible that Terra Australis is the real-life Australia, but it could also be the tip of South America.

Piri Re’is’s notes about the southernmost region mention that it was "recently found but is not fully known," and that "large snakes are found here," and "these [shores] are very hot." This description doesn’t quite match the Antarctica we know today, unless the penguins ate all the snakes, of course. Nowadays, many cartographers believe that the coastline depicted on these maps could better match the tip of South America. We know that well-established sea routes existed at least 3,000 years ago, and many ancient maps have been lost over time. However, given that ice cores 500,000 years old have been recovered from Antarctica, it’s unlikely that even the most ancient sea kings ever visited the region.

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Emma Willis is a 31-year-old blogger and professor. She has a passion for writing and teaching, and loves exploring new ideas and sharing her insights with others. Emma is a natural leader and motivator, and has a gift for helping people discover their own potential. She is also an avid learner, always looking for new ways to improve her skills and knowledge.