Rare discovery: Conica 1902 Albanian map

From Fotac Andre

Concian leaflets No.7
It is known that, in the field of cartography, Albanian lands have first appeared on Ptolemy's geographical map in the second century C.E., which gives not only the Illyrian territory between Durres and Tirana, defined by the term “Albanopoli” as the city of the Albanans, but is also evidenced of other Iliro-darane settlements. Next will be Tabula Peutingeriana, century. III, (in its segment V III, named “Iricum” of “lapirum”), which will determine the soil and iliro-Albanian territories, such as Scodra, Duratio, Apollonia, Aulona, and will come next with the map of Al-Idriz (1154), to reach the X centuries. IV-XV, where Arber and Albanian territories appear under the name “Albania”, even their main cities, with castles, rivers, restrictions, etc.

There is no doubt that in the course of the centuries, the abundance of such maps with the term “Albana”, compiled by prominent European cartographers miraculously constitutes a wealth and evidence of ancient Albanian ethnicity. Faik Konica, the early tracker of all Albanian in the libraries of Europe, is the first reliner to be intrigued and deeply interested in older maps reflecting Albania, able to detect in the British Museum eight Camotti maps (Venedic, 1571) by the name “Provincia di Albany”. However, in addition to the enthusiasm of the findings, it will also be somewhat dried up to note, especially during the XIX century, the inaccuracy and deviation in the appointments, as well as the restrictions highlighted in the content of maps, which showed Albania in a disparately of “by “ (the selection is of Konica itself), the Balkan Peninsula, or the so-called <6> European Turkey”. Furthermore, no map to be taken was specifically compiled to Albanians, although they represented their trains. They were simply destined for the foreign public.

And yet, it doesn't stop the research, and only when we see it, at the beginning of the 20th century, to establish direct contact with the great geography Eliée Reclus, the world's renowned author of the work “World Geography”, which Conica calls “monment”, in which his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great man, Ali Papapapaten Tepe is declared <4x>Ry. We say Konica put up “contacts of work” because the new Albanian genius would have the brilliant idea to publish for the first time, thanks to the Brussels Geographic Institute, a map of Albania unique to its kind, a map with Albanian topononic appointments, which he saw as a historical necessity.

In fact, as far as publications were concerned, in that upper XX century, when many reborns were quick to print their first books on Albanian schools, with patriotic poetry and prose to arouse national sentiment, and when they exceeded ab and literary books with amalgamated alphabets, Konica watched and beat even higher with its “Albia-en<1): it insisted not only in a common alphabet, but in the first place, a common Albanian language and a worked scientific work, so it persisted, so it persisted, and it persisted, so it persisted, THE letter we have today, which originated in his very own writings, which, with great merit, has been summed up in a single volume by Christina Jorgaqi under the title “Faik Conica language thinkers“. In addition to the publication of his magazine “Albania“, shining in Albanian circles in and out of the country, but also in European intellectual circles, Konica would also enter the publication of several Albanian books of particular value ♫ as the “Life of Kara Mahmud pas Shkoder” (1899) by Nasuf beg Dizari, the <x> Life of Papa Shkodra (1898). D“, “Bester shcp” (1899), “Caldsar of Males” (1899), “Schipniis”, Brussels 1902, “Historia of Turkis”, London 1902 of Dom Ndocatis ), and printing of the number of forwardal cards with the image of the National Hero figure Kable Catriot beneath his Belgian friend Paulque. However, in this middle, the publication he was going to do Albania's “Harth”, with the Albanian terminology, would be the crowning of his entire publishing work in 1898-1902 and constitute a valuable Conician ornament, marking a major event for Albanian self-graphy.

According to FESH, the history of Albanian mapping “fill” with the map of renowned Albanian geography Ahmet Gashi compiled in 1940. We have no objection, as long as it has not been known and remains long in total darkness the 1902 Albanian Conician Map. Today, as we possess this map, fallen and left in memory sleep, we are making it first known to the public and Albanian scholar after 113 years, displaying its essential content and qualities that characterize it.

We call this “The Conician Archa” because 1) The initiative for drafting and drafting it was designed by and only by Faik Konica; 2) The appointments, or “noment of the map” as Konica calls it (“nonumnature” mc.), are its sole author, on the basis of these three sources: a) “) The use of all the books that I could get” <xoh> and is known and known the rich Conician library, disappeared without a trace; c) Albania's excellent geography” ”, published by the Fathers Jesus of Shkodra; 3) the title, the scale, the map's circulation was determined by Fik Konica for two key purposes: for Albanian schools and for science; 4) The names of the rivers, the lakes, the plants (or) the Crustrease, the script, the woodide, the guide of the map (ex BAR PENT) in his French script, 2506, for all the other languages, the Romanian CENTC.C. N. Nachos, March 20, 1896 AQSH.
On the other hand, the simple truth is that Conica speaks more than once of publishing this map, not only in literature, but especially in his “Albana”, dedicating two scriptures, in Albanian and French, to refraining from being overly legalized enthusiasm that expresses: “It is the first letter of our land in our Albanian”, it is <x4-work useful work for schools, useful for science”, <6> is light for our nation, and it emphasises, and it stresses, with a methodical point of joy, it displays a very happy <x> It's crazy.
Yes, this enthusiasm of Konica, the very milestone that represented the map publication in 1902, as well as the great importance of finally revealing it, so as to establish the origin and starting of Albanian mapping, all these motives motivated us to address with a simple message to Belgium's Royal Library in January 2015, in order to help research an Albanian <x0harte” published by the University of Brussels, mention the European Authority and Prof authority. Elisee Reclus. The head of the map section and the plans of this library, Mr. Fabienne Sansterre would tell us that in their collections they really had a map of Albania published by the geographical Institute of the New University, but because the map itself had no description and no reference, they had encountered difficulties in identifying it because everything about it was in Albanian. It is understandable that our unmovable joy to see certain cliches sent to us were convinced that we were in exactly what we were looking for. And we started a heavy letter, and we realised it was about “The Conician Map”, to send the French document (Basic-Basic database to “Albana“) with precise data of the format, scale, year and map publication site, the circumstances as it was published, the Conica-Reclus, and, above all, the map itself, in its fundamental content and characteristics. We concluded, providing the staff of Belgium's Royal Library that they thus owned a valuable “stoli”, a rare Albanian “hart” honouring their institution.

Let us take a closer look at this map:

1. Its title is given in Albanian time in two dialects: Wrug, Schcypenia, Tossually, Shcyperia, but both dialects melted into one word where y/i and n/r is given in the smallest type of fraction, a symbolic, Conician creation or invention, and specifically in the form:

 y n

Shc-pe-i

 r

2. Below the title, it's written in large letters: And before His Majesty's card é soil é print/n mé, Don Ghinit, Marcés of àdros é prints of the Castriots of the Great Rocke Skenderbég, Pérendia gave thanks to jéte te ghat. (Looking here “i” which is “Um-Here's” of French and also “é-of” with accent, a characteristic use of these two letters from Konica in all of his Albanian writings. Albania's. )

3. At the bottom of the map, outside of its far right base, the publisher and year of publication in two languages are given: New guess. Institut Dêtographer of Brussels (1902): Université Nouvelle. Institut Géography de Bruxellis (1902). (Even here the trend of Konica to translate any foreign scientific term, namely the words “)University” “Geographic” giving in Albanian format “the entire lesson” and <x0). )

4. Below, by hand, by pencil, where we clearly discern Konica's writing, is marked: XIV G, Albanian, 1902 “Perlindia”. It's here for the map orderer, which is “The national society”, which Konica called “Perlindia (Renaissance) of Albanians”. And exactly, on the left-hand side of the map, it appears in print letters whether the source or the base of the design-ide implementation: “Caught after the jobs of Vienna's military groundwriter, Whether the map tester: “For Shocerine “The Perlindia of Shcipetarvé””

But all the details of this map, the 1/500 000 scale, in size 1m, 20 x 0.75m, with five surveys (five - colored movements) are given in Konica's French article, which we are giving lower translation for the first time. However, its circulation remains in question because we have no accurate data. Yet, from indirect Konica's own data on his literature, we feel that the circulation should not have exceeded 300 copies. Thus, in December 1908, he says they returned to London from America 150 pieces of unsold maps (Vepras 4, pp. 169), when he may have sent perhaps about 200 pieces and when he may have sold about 100 pieces to Europe during 1902-1908. The map price was 5 francs (“1 fern or 10 grate inside Albania”), almost as much as it could at the time cost the book of an author in the voice. With these assumed estimates, the entire cost of the map press must not have been exceeded by 1,000 francs, financed as given in the subheading - by Prince Aldro Kastriot, who had actually determined in that same period (1902-1903) an annual prize for the best Albanian literary. It was the time when Spanish wealthy Juan Pedro Aldro, self-declared Prince Kastriot, chose the bag to assume Albania's future throne and ride as the king of Albanians. However, the fact is that in August 1912, Konica announces that Albania's “Documentary Card was finished. It's a job that all scholars have liked. The following -- and really, it wouldn't be better....” (Acts 4, pp. 176). Since its publication (March 1902), he also notified Austrian Foreign Minister Baron Gulochowski, underlining that: “I have at your disposal as many specimens as you need. You don't have to send me money for this purpose, since you're publishing this map onIt took a lot of work.(Work 4, pp. 105Our underlining.

I've had a lot of work to do. Thus, in 1898, he was intrigued that the exact names of the Albanian were displayed in foreign publications in double form, remarkable, and unmarked: Berat/Berati, Janine/Jania, etc. “In the most common view of the word, he writes, the unspecified form is used. However, thanks to a controversy that I cannot explain, books and maps dealing with Albania, composed by foreign authors, male names (Berat, Ulkin, Prizren, Ipek, etc.), are used in their unmarked form, and female names (Jana, Dibra, Dschakova) in their distinctive form. To avoid this mistake, we, he goes on, we'll write here from now on, Janine, Debar, Dschakov, etc. ” (Albania, B, August 15-31, 1898). And the fact is, he clinged with fanaticism to this precise rule that he set up, not just to the Albania its but also on the map we are discussing, the rule that follows to this day in Albanian cartography.

Giving the happy news of the map's publication in the same number Albania's Conica pauses in the use of words card i n map, Practically in Writing “ Presents here their arguments for use in Albanian “ Instead of terminology “Geographic”. Because in its many neologys, in all the analytical language writings, and as a languager and polyglot who was (an acquaintance and speaker of 15 foreign languages) - Conica always took on the French base and model, which she mastered; but it was also based on other Western languages, such as English German, which he called the French <x0-languages fine and beautiful”, to express absolutely his early disposition and obedience to the Albanian nation's progress towards the European West. So he preferred the use of the English word in our case card (mc. i n LL-Carte To.) and no map, The term that viewed it as cut in concrete case by Turkish “map“, and “that use dudum” (Turkish) as it is expressed. Of course, the language master, who would write in 1904 the great book and European levels “Tests for Natural and Artificial Languages“, knew the origin of the word map From Latin Mail ( Papersheets ) card). But it couldn't swallow that “harita” Turkish for the word map Albanian. After all, although “received” use in Albanian map Instead of a word card, which Conica preached, there is no among any “loss”, nothing bad “”, when it is known that the use of words in the language is a matter of taste, consent, habit, fashion, even “debitation”, as in the case of the massive use of “ <xho> ” during the totalitarian regime, instead of <x8). But we, for our part, have the right to find it beautiful and hit the Concian word “/text”, which we appreciate, as it sounds sweet in our ears, like a kind of exotic, but which is, of course, a masterful Conician finding.

From the technical and topographic point of view, the database Conica was, as she put it, Map of Vienna's Geographic Military Institute. “is the best map available for Albania, but there is a lot of inaccuracies”, he says of it. He knew that there were two editions of that map - that of 1880, which albanologist Julius Pisco had used to determine the topography of Skenderbee's campaigns and the latest one in 1900. By studying these maps closely, Konica would conclude that a real scientific work in the field of cartography was to be supported, primarily, on two basic criteria: a) to deal with this work by people from the terrain, who know it with the foundation, “people from Tirana, Elbasan, Durres, Dibra”, he says; b) to take on dedicated people for the job, who have love and interest in the history of the people and its glorious spots.

As an ancient Albanian with noble roots, full of love and patriotism for his country, and as an upper - degree messenger, Konica met and exceeded where these two main criteria were. And, as for the glorious history and epic of the Albanian people, Konica had long looked at the skenderbean epipea to revive the memory of the Albanian National Hero and the Albanian national sentiment itself. Because it's known that Konica is the first relinderant to be specifically researched by Skenderbe's campaign topography (Albania, No. 9, 1901), exactly where Austrian Pisco had failed. Based on J. G. Hahn of Biemmi, Konica gave 16 Skenderbeian municipalities of the Skenderbe wars to Turkish Sultans, from Albulen, Alkriha and Chidhana to McCadhani, Modris, Mokri, Oroniqi, Otoneta, Petralova, Svetigrad, Talmirana, Torvioli, Vajcali, etc. He is sorry, though, that he failed to make enough use of his own study to present these campaigns even on the map he prepared, to simply set dates below the main historical locations of the map.

What was particularly interested was Albania's ethnic and historical boundaries. He knew him too Albania's commercial map (“with two Albanian Toske and Gege” from F. The balance, and the “with its false errors” (F.K.), when left out of borders the entire monastery with its Albanian villages. “Manastiri is Albanian province as much as possible”, protest Conica with full conviction (Albania, No. 13, May 30, 1898). Not only that, but in his many writings, he often expresses his anger to the point of revolt whenever he refers to historical injustices at the expense of Albanians, starting with the Berlin Congress that broke their land. Above all, in a powerful tone, he goes on to whips and heavy buttons on the head of the chauvinistic political circles of neighbouring, Serbian, Montenegrin, Bulgarian, Greek, Macedonian, Italian, as well as the spokespersons of their predominantly French winers who were striking the Albanian nation's neck at the shameful west of the Ottoman Empire. From the first number of miracles Albania (March 1897 but prepared since 1896) in a “Note” by 20 lines, 20-year-old Konica, by re-launching the Prudchoon formula, would write in genius a philosophical, historical and patriotic ideal focus, writing: “What's the third order? Nothing. What should it be? All.” And, by misappropriating this famous historical formula, to show that the fate of Albanians under Ottoman Turkey was the fate of sub-humans who did not enjoy freedom and independence, but were the main operational factor, Konica asks: “What are Albanians in European Turkey? Nothing. What should they do? All” The following: “We don't have money to pay the newspapers and agencies, but we have powerful lungs, and our call will finally reach the general public. Here we are declaring with a loud voice, and behold, we call with strength to hear the blameless and gracious: Today's territories of Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria, and the village group called Montenegro include foreign elements; to establish justice, Thessalia, a part of Bulgaria and Montenegro; and Serbia, from Vrana going south, must join Albania. Instead of being quiet, like thieves who are and who have taken as much, and when they have to fill their panties for food, Greeks and others still want to tear Albania apart. To the Greeks and others, here we are saying this moment with a loud voice - quite so! Don't go any further! ” Here we go, another Conician fantastic à la Wagner! And how current, when modern Greeks love us in the sea, they follow the border of the Northern Epirus with the invention and setting up of Greek soldiers' graves like a Nastradin nail, when Greek soldiers themselves have turned into cannibals to eat Albanian flesh and when Albanian Autocephalia in central Tirana is an empty word.

Finally, if we compare Conician Map in 1902 with Map of natural Albania in 1867, drawn up by F. Milone in 1942, we note that there is no difference regarding the Albanian lands that are now beyond the arbitraryly defined physical boundaries of the great powers in 1913 and 1920. Following the curved name line of neighboring countries, we note that the “division” according to what we would call a classic “lely, starting from Golden-Preveza to the South, to take over the District Calabax in the South East, most east towards Kozhana, Prilep Monastery, climbing up to Kumanovo, Leskovac's killing as the most northeast point, to reach the north of the Ibar and to the north of the Bermon to the Lumbridge, and to the north of the Luspin River. But one thing is strikingly obvious: at a time when borders have become the most sacred thing, Konica leaves open Albania's borders, taking into account the bitter past for the Albanian nation's massacred and massacred, as a political and historical response to arbitrary European circles, implying that Albania's borders are where there are Albanians in their historic, Albanian trends that have resisted violent assimilation and mass expulsions. On the other hand, this open Albania, with open borders of Concian, which also makes neighboring countries no limits defined with Albania, seems like a very current message coming under Konica's pen since the beginning of the 20th century, for Balkan and European openings, for that being targeted towards a United Europe. And in this case, how can we not keep the noble Faik Conica as the forerunner of the melting of border ice that historically divide peoples and countries as forerunners of the Balkans and Europe without borders.

Vienna's geographical military institute works served as Base URI for our map, but here are the improvements that have been made:

1. Local and other names are written Sorted in opening order Albanian With one Exactly. on time.

2. Leveling curves appear in five different colors, going from the most bright brown to the darkest washing, chasing heights, and quite looking at the map to create a clear idea about the configuration of Albanian soil. This way, on the other hand, allows clever professor to teach his students a series of suggestive and attractive lessons, which are impossible with maps where heights appear with some turbulent background, lasting where, there.

Because this map is intended primarily for schools. So we have used such a large format and, in order to give them names in large letters, easy to read, we are confined to a nomenclature of about 400 locals, rivers, lakes, etc.

We weren't meant to do one. a map of a narrow field, and Mr. Elisée Reclus would gladly await our impartial demands. Not a line of division is found between Albania and neighbouring countries, as well as Turkish [under Turkish Sosa], but inhabited by other nationalities. We didn't want to set disputed boundaries. It's a scientific map and nothing more, or better, nothing less. If we've included visible non-Albanian territory, such as Northeast, it's only understood if we're not narrow enough to regret that it's impossible on a map to cut extreme boundaries, and only use straight lines then. So, we don't cause any ambition, no illusion, no small matter. Those who live by word and swing in sentences of their own words have why they come and complain and shout their usual peacock screams.

Nor have the boundaries of neighboring countries been signed by visa, but that, of course, for quite other reasons. In view of the scale of our map and the possible inaccuracy of available documents, we feared inaccuracies. So the names of neighboring countries were written according to a curve, in accordance with the overall line of borders. I think the idea was achieved and it couldn't get better.

The country has not been divided into villas, since this divide does not represent any geographical interest. In contrast, several dates have been given under the name of major historical locations. Sadly, we failed to make the best use of our study in this regard. Albania by the title Skenderbee Campaign Topography.

On the other hand, to add interest in this admirable map, we added two strains - one for geology, the other for Albania's climate.

I feel it my duty to thank you with my heart, on behalf of the Albanian people, Mr. Elisée Reclus, who is not only a great geographer but also a large heart and who, like here, in everything was shown with a noble high heart. I also thank Mr. Bertrand and Mr. Pattesson, the institute's two prominent cartographers that were taken with enough skill and skill to complete the entire venture.

Are there errors material on this map? I don't believe; but it is possible, and in this case I apologize, for everything that concerns Nomenclature, Obviously, the self, given by me. I put my memory and all the books I could, namely, Albania's excellent geography published by the apostles of Shkoder. Yet, I fear that mistakes may also have been made, especially in northern Albania.

We are gratefully welcoming all the observations we may receive, we will classify them, and if this first publication, as we hope, manages to sell quickly, we will use them for a future publication. Meanwhile, no doubt, Vienna's geographical military institute will have published its new map of southern Albania, which will, in our second edition, several changes to the level curves.

It would be a lack of my part if I failed to fulfill the most basic obligation to thank Mr. De Adro, who removed the expense of this publication. With the most benevolent nature, he took over all the expenses, one day when I was talking to him about a map project of Albania. Here's a more than useful move, and all Albanians are grateful to him.

Albanian, Year 6, April-May 1902, No. 4-5.

 F.K.

P.S. The map is for sale in Redaksine's Albania's and in the library Kisling*Montagne de la Cour, in Brussels. (*Library and printery Kiesling et C°, where Faik Konica has also published his two books in French: Education Index (1898) and Ese for natural languages and artificial languages (1904). )