Abstract

This study discusses the Ancient Map category that is recurrent in the literature on the history of cartography. To this end, we analyzed two cases — one in Chile and the other in Argentina — which, despite their unique characteristics and differences between them, share common features. These allow for concluding that the designation of maps as old does not strictly refer to the passage of time but results from a set of factors, including ideological, institutional, contextual, and material aspects. In this sense, this article contributes to the field of studies addressing the history of cartography, the history of collections and archives, and their intellectual foundations in a period spanning from the late 19th century to mid 20th century