Babylonian World Map

The Babylonian World Map is the oldest known map of the world. It depicts the Earth as a flat disc surrounded by a circular sea called the "Bitter River" (marratu). Babylon is shown at the center of the world, with the Euphrates River flowing through it. Triangular regions beyond the ocean represent distant, mythical lands that were believed to exist at the edges of the known world. The map combines geographical knowledge with mythological concepts, showing how the ancient Babylonians understood their place in the cosmos.