Ali Macar Reis and his atlas in Turkish cartographic history: Cartographic reviews

Throughout history, many renowned cartographers from our region have made significant contributions to the world. Studying these scholars and their works has often been challenging due to the historical conditions under which they conducted their research. However, in recent years, technological advancements and growing public interest have enabled more detailed examination and comparison of historical maps. As a result, these maps are no longer only display artifacts, but are now valuable tools for scholarly interpretation. This study provides an overview of the concept of cartography and outlines the development of Turkish cartography from its early stages to the present day. Particular attention is given to Ali Macar Reis, a prominent figure in Turkish cartographic history, who presented six regional maps and one world map to the Ottoman court. The paper also introduces MapAnalyst, a software tool used to aid in the interpretation of maps. The study explains the software's functions and practical applications. In the practical section of the study, seven maps of varying scales were examined using MapAnalyst. Control points believed to be accurate were selected from each map and aligned with the reference map, OpenStreetMap (OSM). From this alignment, key cartographic data such as scale, rotation, displacement vectors, and positional errors were derived. These metrics were then visualized using MapAnalyst and examined from a cartographic perspective. The results of this analysis are presented and discussed.