IMAGES OF THE PAST: COLONIAL GUANABARA BAY AND THE EUROPEAN MILITARY CARTOGRAPHY

L.A. Beser de Deus, P.M.L. Menezes

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

leandroandrei@yahoo.com.br, pmenezes@unisys.com.br

The present study aims to understand the spatial development dynamics of the Guanabara Bay located in the Captainship of Rio De Janeiro, during the Brazilian colonial period (since the arrival of the Portuguese people until 1822), based on the comparison of old maps, which are important historical sources made by countries such as Portugal, France, Netherlands, Spain and England, who invested militarily in the mentioned area. Moreover, to reach such understanding, one suggests as other source of study, the development of a temporal geographic information system that will subsidize other space-temporal analyses on the study area throughout the mentioned period.

Beyond the aspirations already mentioned, the study intends to propose a specific methodology for geographic historical analyses based in the integration of the Historical Cartography with the Geotechnologies, considered to be two different worlds, as a way to support projects aimed at the transformation and/or evolution of the spatial organization in regional and urban areas. In order to organize the data gathered, one will search for the implementation of a temporal geographic information system (TGIS). This system will be able to organize the data and to generate information about it, using the space-temporal analyses obtained, which will help the understanding of the space organization of the area throughout its history.

Specifically about the chosen scene, the study it will be subsidized by the Military European Cartography, which highlights the geopolitical interest in the area of Rio De Janeiro. Such interest is mainly shown by the maritime access that discloses a military concern towards the defense and attack of the area and in last instance, a concern towards the inhabitants of the town. Thus, in a preliminary analysis, this study sheds light on the littoral surroundings occupation process, which can show this occupation took place .based on cartographic, geographic and historical studies.