Terra incognita, the Latin term for “unknown land”, was used in cartography for regions that were not been mapped or documented, while Mare incognitum was written on maps to indicate unknown sea. What was an ancient mapmaker to do when the boundaries of known territory ended, and when did the practice of drawing dragons and monsters on maps originate?

Contrary to popular belief, the practice is relatively recent. Ptolemy’s atlas written in the 2nd century was the first known map to warn with text that unknown territory was home to strange creatures such as elephants, hippos and cannibals. Medieval copies of Roman maps also make similar statements such as “in these places elephants are born” or more fantastically, “here dog-headed beings are born.” A 10th century British map notes “here lions abound” near the east coast of Asia, and in southernmost Africa, “This region of Zugis is in Africa, it is truly fertile, however it is full of beasts and serpents.”

References to fantastic creatures such as dragons came later. The first known picture of a dragon appeared on a 13th century map and has a picture of a dragon in the extreme south-eastern part of Africa, together with an asp and a basilisk. From this period onwards pictures of fantastic monsters began to appear more frequently along the borders of maps, especially in the open ocean. This was at times based on factual rumors—the elephant-like creatures on a map of northern Norway are based on stories of the walrus, and sea monsters were drawn upon hearing stories of whales or giant sea squid.

Although the phrase “Here be Dragons” or hic sunt dracones is frequently used, only one known historical map bears this title, and it dates to the recent date of the 16th century. Ultimately, drawing beasts and dragons on the borders of maps became a cartographic art form during the Victorian age, long after the European nations had concluded that dragons did not exist.

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