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Digitalization of Cartographic Heritage of State Archives in Zadar – Present State, Problems and Possibilities

Cartographic collection of the State Archives in Zadar includes several separate funds of geographic maps, navigational charts, cadastral plans and individual cartographic presentations in other archival funds, which makes it one of the richest collections in Croatia. It consists of maps that encompass many periods in the history of cartography, from Middle Ages to present day. Those maps are a valuable source for geographic and historical research related to eastern Adriatic coast and complex historical and geographic changes. On the basis of those maps it is possible to reconstruct the development of cartographic techniques that subsequently enabled more reliable insight into different spatial data. Therefore, it is extremely important to digitalize that rich cartographic heritage in order to make it more accessible and usable, and to save the originals from overuse and possible damages. Unfortunately, so far, systematic digitalization of several hundred old maps has not been made, primarily due to organizational and financial issues. However, for the purpose of setting up the exhibitions Cartography of Zadar and Maritime Cartography organized by Croatian Cartographic Society about fifty old maps were scanned digitally, which was a good foundation for future digitalization. Additionally, partial digitalization was made by using digital cameras, mostly as a part of scientific researches done by several geographers and historians. However, that digitalization was not made by using a unique methodology, so the quality of digital records was not the same, and the possibilities for their use were different. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to conduct a systematic catalogization of the whole cartographic heritage of the State Archives in Zadar, and after that systematic digitalization should be made by using a unique methodology, which includes using the same digitalization technology and unique resolution of digital records. Digitalization should be the result of cooperation between experts from different scientific disciplines, primarily cartography, and then geography and archival science.

map; cartography; cartographic heritage; digitalization; State Archives in Zadar; Zadar; Croatia

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