Turkey in Asia, from "Court Game of Geography" 1838 - 1855

This is "Turkey in Asia, from "Court Game of Geography", a lithograph made by William and Henry Rock in the 19th century. This card game reflects the era's fascination with geography and imperial power. In the 19th century, cartography was far from a neutral science, and the simple lines of a map were loaded with political implications. By mapping "Turkey in Asia," the Rock brothers participated in a broader project of Western knowledge production about the East. What does it mean to turn geography into a game? Who gets to play and who is being played with? We need to consider the power dynamics at play when looking at this image. The places marked on this map, like Jerusalem, Damascus and Baghdad, are not just locations but living cities, each with its own complex identity. The act of mapping can flatten these rich histories, turning people and places into objects of Western understanding. It prompts us to think critically about how the representation of places and people can perpetuate specific narratives.