No Roman or Old Maps of My Area — What Should I Do?

[TORRERO]

thanks for asking
yes i’m a treasure hunter not part of a science project
i’m searching for any old places around imouzzer kandar where people lived long ago
roman amazigh french or anyone
i look at old maps and names to help me guess where to search in the mountains
sometimes i talk to old people or follow local stories
i hope to find signs like pottery bricks or old structures then maybe use a metal detector if possible
your story from spain is inspiring thank you for
sharing it

Well we didn’t have maps, we just walked around some fields to see if we could find indicators of prior activity. I never did this, but I was told that Spanish guys would get on a moped or motorbike 🏍️ and drive through the fields (when not planted) looking for signs of previous habitation… Some of our BEST finds were by sheer accident…. Went on a picnic with my now X and as she prepared lunch I went walking around with my metal detector…. Finding musket balls and flat buttons with French and British markings, I had stumbled across a battle site of French and British soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars…. We kept going back over 2 years… digging all kinds of stuff including cannon balls, buckles
Also where we were, were early Carthage sites, all of these were characterized by tons of Amphorae fragments… lots of handles and broken pot pieces…. Thousands of them…
So all you really need is to walk and look …

 

[elmehdi]

Well we didn’t have maps, we just walked around some fields to see if we could find indicators of prior activity. I never did this, but I was told that Spanish guys would get on a moped or motorbike 🏍️ and drive through the fields (when not planted) looking for signs of previous habitation… Some of our BEST finds were by sheer accident…. Went on a picnic with my now X and as she prepared lunch I went walking around with my metal detector…. Finding musket balls and flat buttons with French and British markings, I had stumbled across a battle site of French and British soldiers of the Napoleonic Wars…. We kept going back over 2 years… digging all kinds of stuff including cannon balls, buckles
Also where we were, were early Carthage sites, all of these were characterized by tons of Amphorae fragments… lots of handles and broken pot pieces…. Thousands of them…
So all you really need is to walk and look …

Yes i do the same i walk in the mountains and fields around imouzzer kandar i look for pottery broken stones anything that shows people lived there before sometimes i go near old springs or trees or caves i talk to old people too they tell me stories about places i don’t have much gear but i look with my eyes and take notes i hope one day to find something important like you did with that battlefield
thank you for sharing your story it gives me hope

 

[achanceforgold]

yes i heard that some lidar maps are free online but i don’t know where to find the good ones for morocco or atlas mountains if you know any lidar site or source that covers my area i would be really thankful
that could help me a lot to choose where to search first

Islamic sources will be your best bet.

After the fall of Alexendria Egypt.
Islamic map makers made the best maps.
Europe went into Cartography dark age.

There are several great Islamic map makers.
Unfortunately, I can't read Arabic.
Many Roman map makers documented locations, not routes.
Here is a Ptolemy map for Morrocco
Ptolemy made his maps around 150 ad.

Starbo was another good Roman era map maker.
But as far as routes, Red-Coats Antonine itinerary is the best option during Roman Times.

 

[elmehdi]

Islamic sources will be your best bet.

After the fall of Alexendria Egypt.
Islamic map makers made the best maps.
Europe went into Cartography dark age.

There are several great Islamic map makers.
Unfortunately, I can't read Arabic.
Many Roman map makers documented locations, not routes.
Here is a Ptolemy map for Morrocco
Ptolemy made his maps around 150 ad.

View attachment 2210111
Starbo was another good Roman era map maker.
But as far as routes, Red-Coats Antonine itinerary is the best option during Roman Times.

thanks a lot for this info yes i agree islamic sources like al idrisi are very useful and detailed especially for north africa
i can read arabic so i’m trying to check those old texts i heard about ptolemy and the antonine itinerary too they help show direction even if names changed i will also try to compare them with places near imouzzer kandar maybe i can find something that matches i really appreciate you sharing all of this it’s helping me piece things together step by step

 

[achanceforgold]

thanks a lot for this info yes i agree islamic sources like al idrisi are very useful and detailed especially for north africa
i can read arabic so i’m trying to check those old texts i heard about ptolemy and the antonine itinerary too they help show direction even if names changed i will also try to compare them with places near imouzzer kandar maybe i can find something that matches i really appreciate you sharing all of this it’s helping me piece things together step by step

here is a possible list for you to look into.

Keep in mind. Until relatively modern times,
Routes and roads remained the same.

So, if you locate maps before the 1940's.
The travel route will be very close if not exact to ancient times.
Once a route was established, people kept using it.

 

[elmehdi]

here is a possible list for you to look into.
View attachment 2210113
Keep in mind. Until relatively modern times,
Routes and roads remained the same.

So, if you locate maps before the 1940's.
The travel route will be very close if not exact to ancient times.
Once a route was established, people kept using it.

thank you this is very helpful yes i believe that too paths stay the same for generations because they follow water and terrain if i find maps from before the 1940s they can show me the same trails used by romans amazigh and others i will search old colonial maps or french expedition maps i feel the key is in those forgotten paths between valleys and springs
thanks again for guiding me in the right direction