The new Penguin atlas of medieval history (review)

188 Short notices McEvedy, Colin, The new Penguin atlas of medieval history, Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1992; paper; pp. 112; R.R.P. A U S $17.95. 77ie new Penguin atlas of medieval history has been substantially rewritten by McEvedy from the well known 1961 atlas and a new set of maps drawn by David Woodroffe, to replace those by John Woodcock, which have become familar to every student andteacherof medieval history. Some additions and deletions to the maps are the most notable changes from the 1961 atlas. Many are relatively minor (a map for 451 A D replaces that for 450; likewise 565 for 562; 651 for 650, etc.). N e w maps on pages 39 and 87 show an attention to population studies, even though the author (p. 6) notes the debatable quality of the data. Among some more notable additions and changes the map for 888 corrects an earlier lack of distinction between the appearance of Viking settlements in Russia and the foundation of a Russian state. A map for 1100 A D , to show the consequences of the First Crusade, is a welcome addition, though the addition of a map for 1346 does not fully correct a lack of coverage of the late-13th and early-14th centuries. On a subjective note, one feels inclined to regret the dropping from the front cover of the panel from Abraham Cresques's magnificent World Atlas in favour of a less thematically appropriate manuscript illustration from Marco Polo. Jonathan M . Wooding Department of History University of Sydney ...