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Location of Thule--the mid-Atlantic?



Is Thule an island of America? Perhaps Hispaniola in the Carribean? Contrary to various notions, Thule is not necessarily 'far north'. Rather one motive for the idea of putting it in the deep north is to show it as 'behind Britain', or more distant than Britain.


Alternately the island may be based on ideas of the Azores or the Canaries if a huge reproduction of a medieval map in the Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte, Dortmund, is any guide. This is the Ebstorfer Weltkarte, from about 1300.


Medieval maps are circular. Jerusalem is in the middle and each continent, Africa, Asia and Europa occupy a basically equal trisection. Given this view of the world it would make no sense to place Thule some great distance away. Maps found in chronicles were not used in navigation so great accuracy was not really required. Therefore Thule is often placed near Britain, even though it may have been some distance away. Where else would one put it?

Britain

We have an interesting map of Britain here. Ireland is called Scotia, Scotland or Northumbria is Anglia and the south is Britannia. This leads to a question of whether the map-maker was confused or whether we are interpreting the map correctly.

Iceland
Iceland lies further up the curve, on the other side of britain to where Thule lies! That is interesting!


Thule closer

A closer view of Thule and nearby islands. Thule appears to be the furthest of the islands from Europe. Hispaniola? But before we get to Hispaniola, sailing along the trade winds, we encounter some smaller islands.. the closest of which is Guadeloupe. Is Thule Guadeloupe? I note that `Thule' is similar to Sumerian `Dilmun', a land where the Sun rises and a metal trading partner. No-body knows where Dilmun was. Bahrain is a closer possibility.


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