Myanmar Historical Cartography: Parabaik Maps and Other Map Sources

This study is a very first attempt to reveal all available and known maps genres of pre-modern Myanmar, which has particularly been emphasized on parabaik-maps of the Konbaung Period (AD 1752-1885). The researcher collected the diverse types of maps from different places and archives in Myanmar between 2005 and 2008. With the support of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies, it was done at the Institute of Historical Research, Seoul National University, Seoul in the 2008-2009 academic year. It contains three main parts: Historical Mapping Method, a new research method for research methodology; classification of map-types of both 'ready-made primary historical maps' and 'non-ready-made secondary historical maps' with their importance in historical research and reconstruction, and mapping with primary data; and collective study on Myanmar historical cartography throwing much light on a concept on the origins of Myanmar historical maps, their significant nature, characteristic features, drawing tools, techniques, and materials, and perfect and defect points of the maps. It would bring us to a new field of further research and contribute to the history of cartography of the world.