Europeans made maps with the north on top

The north's elite cartographic status owes more to Byzantine monks and Majorcan Jews than to Englishmen

Early Egyptian maps showed the south as up, equating the Nile's northward flow with gravity

Medieval European maps often had the east on top, while Arab maps had the south on top

Portolan charts, used by mariners in the Mediterranean, had no real up or down but included a compass rose with north distinguished

The compass needle aligns with the earth's magnetic field, with a pole at each end

Europeans were already experienced in navigating with reference to the North Star when they adopted the compass

Land maps in the 15th century had different perspectives, some with the east on top, others with the south or north on top

Ptolemy, a Hellenic cartographer, put the north up in his work, which influenced later mapmakers

The orientation of maps is influenced by chance, technology, and politics