The Piri Reis Map
A map drawn by an Ottoman admiral in 1513 was claimed to show the coast of Antarctica, centuries before it was discovered.
What was reported
In 1929, historians at Topkapı Palace in Istanbul found part of a world map drawn on gazelle skin in 1513 by Piri Reis, an Ottoman admiral and mapmaker. It shows the Atlantic coasts of Europe, Africa and South America, and notes that it was based on older maps, including one by Columbus.
In the 1960s, a writer claimed the bottom of the map showed the coast of Antarctica without its ice, which would mean someone had mapped it thousands of years ago, perhaps with help from beyond Earth.
Explanations offered
Historians say the southern part of the map shows the coast of South America, bent eastwards to fit on the skin, as mapmakers often did. It is a remarkable and valuable early map of the Americas, but it does not show Antarctica.
- When
- Drawn in 1513; found in 1929
- Where
- Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Witnesses
- Historians and map experts
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.