On European maps created in the 17th-18th centuries, Central Asia is depicted not as an undefined territory, but as a place where specific scientific and trade centers such as Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva were located.
On the world map compiled by Jean-Baptiste Louis Cléus, the globe is divided into the Western and Eastern hemispheres, and Central Asia is given the name "Grande Tartarie." This generalizing term means that in the European scientific environment, the region was conceived as a single geographical space.
The map "General Description of the Earth," published by Antonio Zatta in Venice in 1774, became an important scientific experiment in European cartography. The square-shaped projection is aimed at providing accurate calculations of geographical latitude and longitude, indicating an increase in the accuracy of the map compared to the Klue map. In it, the term "Tartarie" is preserved, and the cities belonging to the territory of Uzbekistan are presented in a clearer and more systematic form.
Guillaume Delil's map of Asia reflects the highest stage of a scientifically grounded approach in European cartography. By combining Arab geographical heritage and data from European expeditions, he relatively accurately showed the complex geography of Central Asia. "Grande Tartarie" occupies a central place on the map, and cities such as Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva are marked separately.
On the map "Great Tartary," compiled by Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi, Central Asia is divided into different parts. Names such as "Tartaria Moscovitica," "Tartaria Chinensis," and "Tartaria Independante" indicate that European cartographers are trying to distinguish the region from a political point of view. On this map, cities belonging to the territory of Uzbekistan are also depicted as permanent geographical points.
On the maps compiled by Nicolas Sanson, Central Asia and Uzbekistan are presented in a more generalized form under the name "Tartarie." However, the registration of such important geographical objects as the Caspian Sea, the Aral Sea, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya shows that knowledge about the region is gradually becoming clearer.
On the maps of Johann Baptist Hoffmann and Nicolas de Fer, the territory of Uzbekistan is represented not only geographically, but also geopolitically as an important place. On these maps, regions are highlighted by color, and cities and trade routes are clearly marked. On the De Fer map, the strategic importance of Central Asia is even more vividly reflected against the backdrop of the Russian Empire's eastward expansion.
The map "Caspian Sea and the Uzbek Country" by Abraham Maas, published in Nuremberg in 1735, is of particular importance in European cartography due to the open and independent use of the name Uzbekistan. In it, under the name "Usbeck," the oases of Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Fergana, and Turkestan are described as a single territory. This circumstance testifies to the fact that in the 18th century European science began to perceive Uzbekistan as an independent, specific geographical and political space.
These maps are a valuable source not only for understanding the history of geography, but also for understanding Uzbekistan's place in world civilization.
All these maps can be seen in the exposition of the Museum of the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan.