A cartographical history of Pretoria

Abstract

This paper deals with the cartographical portrayal of Pretoria and its environs over the past 150 years. Apart from showing the evolution and growth of the settlement, attention is given to the fact that maps of the same place, mapped at different times by different people under different circumstances, often communicate different messages or signals to their readers. The latter refers to the style of the map which could, in some cases, convince the map user that the map is accurate, objective and value-free. In other cases, the map could be interpreted as a cultural symbol which communicates the underlying values, attitudes and principles on which the society responsible for producing the map is founded.