16. Maps in the Middle Ages did not commonly display “here are dragons” on unexplored regions, nor did the inhabitants of the day believe in such fantastical creatures
A popular assumption today is that medieval maps frequently included references to dragons, sea monsters, and other creatures in the farthest reaches of unexplored territory. In actuality, just one map dating from this period included the phrase “here are dragons” or a depiction of said animal. Appearing on the Hunt-Lenox Globe (c. 1503), the location correlates with the position of Indonesia and the east coast of Asia, leading to suggestions that the cartographer was literally referring to the existence of Komodo dragons. Whilst a handful of other surviving contextual documents make reference to mysterious creatures, including “serpents so large that they could eat an ox whole”, this trend is not anywhere near as common as often portrayed.
Instead, this practice supposedly stemmed from the ancient Roman cartography tradition of including the phrase “Hic Svnt Leones” – translated roughly as “here are lions” – when depicting an unknown territory on maps. Rather than suggesting that lions literally inhabited those lands, however, this phrase merely suggested that it had not been pacified and was a savage region. Concurrently, maps frequently warned of the natural habitats of any dangerous animals. Medieval maps make reference to elephants, walruses, and even scorpions, as a courtesy to those traveling to those areas. Think of these images more as pictorial Middle Age travel guides than genuine representations of belief.