Wikipedia:WikiProject Maps/Conventions/Historical maps

This page provide partial conventions for the creation of Historical maps.
Historical maps (or Complex maps) aim to display a clear overview, describing a complex situation. Accordingly, in addition of previous levels colours' conventions, there are provide a full set of conventions for labels and icones.

Usage: Most of time, this style is use to display historical situation (area of control, cities) or action (migrations, battles), giving the name to this style. But this labels and icons set is also suitable for other complex maps such ethnology maps, linguistic maps, etc. The set of icons is not close to historical icons, you can expand this set if other icons are need for specific fields.

Creation: Historical maps are conveniently derivate from country or wider area Location maps. The map maker have to color the background (ocean, land, rivers, subject area) to the Locator maps conventional colours. To create up on areas, the map maker is suggested to use Areas maps colours. For labels and icons, please see below.

Note: the main tool for this style should be the file Maps_template-history_patch-en.svg. This file is a good start, but stay to expand. You have an correct experience in historical map creation ? Please, share your ideas and icons ;]

Convention

Convention for Historical maps.

Maps_template-History_patch-en.svg
SVG template: This style is put up on a background. A good set of icons, labels, and a legend box are provided in Maps_template-en.svg; Maps_template-history_patch-en.svg provides history-specific icons. Maps_template-history_patch-en.svg stay to expand.
Naming (upload): File:{Subject name in English} {Year} map.svg (or png) Name: use the English wiki article's title. Year: Use the year cited by your source, such as : "1920" ; "52BC" ; or "c 1500BC". If need, find an other way. Legend: to include into the map. Scale: encouraged for small area maps.

Gallery of examples

With Locator map as background

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  Map strictly respecting the Areas conventions.
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  Historical map, more free, but with colors close to the conventional ones.
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  Complex language map.
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  Roman Empire, with soft colors.
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  Other style.
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  Other style.

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  Corrected by addition of the Papal state.

With topographic map as background

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  Historical, battle close-up, on topographic background.
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  Historical, on topographic background.
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  Complex map, on topographic background.
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  Complex map, on topographic background.
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  Other style: out of the topic areas have lower opacity. Frame.
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  White-brown topography, icons rich.