The
PortolanThe
Portolan
A subscription to The Portolan is included with your membership in the Washington Map Society.
The Portolan is published regularly three times per year– Spring, Fall and Winter – and is typically 68 – 72 pages in length. It is the only journal of its kind published in the Americas focusing on the history of cartography, map collecting, and cartography. The contents of The Portolan are not just articles about local events in Washington. While there are announcements of coming meetings, the contents comprise a rich mix of cartographic interest:
Articles appear with the full text or summaries of many of the past presentations before the Society.
Members and non-members contribute articles of cartographic interest. Prospective writers, click here.
The Ristow Prize article is published, and often articles that receive Honorable Mention in the competition.
Books and CD-ROMs are reviewed. For a listing of past books reviewed, click here and scroll down to Book/CD Reviews.
“Recent Publications” is a carto-bibliography of new articles and books in the field. This column has appeared since the journal began and is typically four to six pages in length.
Notifications of and summaries of meetings of other U.S./international map societies keep readers aware of activities elsewhere.
The varied mix of material has made The Portolan a publication not just for local members of the Washington Map Society, but also for members and subscribers around the country and the world. Over half its readers live outside the Washington area and seldom have the chance to attend a meeting. Indeed, many private, university and national libraries are subscribers, seeing the value in having The Portolan available to scholars and the general public.
A chronological listing of all past contents, as well as an index of these contents, is available online; these pages are updated after each new issue is published.
Complete back sets, partial sets and individual issues of The Portolan are available for sale.