[The terata on the world map of Richard de Haldingham (about 1280). An attempt at an interpretation]

Richard de Haldingham's world map originates from the years about 1280 and is preserved in the cathedral of Hereford/Hereforshire (England). This map is a curious and in its type an old rare document for the early history of teratology. Richard's map not only reflects the antique view of universe during the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar, but also demonstrates plenty of mythical creatures and human monstrosities. As far as possible these terata (and imaginary monsters) are related to recent wellknown malformations. Their figurative representations are "raised" and idealized; they are situated above all in regions "far away". About it Richard as well as the other antique and medieval authors are tending to generalize (a single observed mis-shapen man becomes in the tradition during long years or centuries to a whole family or tribe of cyclops or nyctalops for instance).