Hic Sunt Dracones (Here Be Dragons)
Dating back to medieval times, the expression Hic Sunt Dracones, or one like it, adorned ancient maps and charts that marked unexplored territory. Fantastic, dreadful creatures such as serpents with wings symbolized the mysterious vastness lying beyond familiar, commonly traveled areas. Inadequate transportation, superstition, fear, or complacency prevented ventures into those regions so creatively adorned on maps of the day. As better vessels and ...