The known world[1][2] is composed of at least three continents (Westeros, Essos, and Sothoryos), a large landmass (Ulthos), and a number of many smaller islands.[3] None of the four major landmasses have been completely mapped, and much of the world remains unexplored.[3] While the maesters of Westeros know a good deal about the lands to the far east, distance is still an issue, and past a certain point myths and legends become a factor in their records.[4]
The known world is part of a round planet, which might be a little larger than Earth.[5] There are ignorant smallfolk and foolish sailors who believe the world to be flat.[6][7] On the whole, however, wise men and scholars from various civilizations (Valyria, Qarth, Yi Ti, and the maesters of Westeros) have known for centuries that the world is a round globe through observations of astronomy.[6][8] It is therefore understood that it is possible, in principle, for a ship to circumnavigate the globe, but despite the efforts of several explorers, such as Elissa Farman and Corlys Velaryon, no one has ever succeeded in the attempt.[9][10][11][8]
Name
To distinguish the planet of A Song of Ice and Fire from the real world (Earth), some fans have used the name "Planetos".[12] David J. Peterson, the language creator for HBO's adaptations, has suggested the name "Terros".[13][14] Peterson developed the word "Vȳs" for his High Valyrian language[15] and "Rhaesheser" for his Dothraki language.[16]
The only canonical names for the planet are "the globe",[17] "the world",[N 1][N 2][N 3] "this world of ice and fire",[20] and (lowercase) "earth"[N 4][N 5][N 6][N 7][N 8] Nevertheless, George R. R. Martin has stated that if a maester were asked what is the name of his planet, he would answer "Earth" (translated into English from the Common Tongue).[26]
History
The maesters of the Citadel have speculated on the age of the world. According to Archmaester Perestan, the world is forty thousand years old,[27] and Archmaester Mollos instead suggests five hundred thousand years.[27] Maester Yandel considers that the world might be older than either figure, and points out that no accounts of its beginnings exist, as its origins predate written history, meaning that no-one can know for certain.[28]
The Known World
Westeros
Located in the far west of the known world, the continent of Westeros is long and relatively narrow, extending from Dorne in the south to the Lands of Always Winter in the far north. The Wall, the border between the Seven Kingdoms and lands beyond the Wall to the north, is 300 miles long,[18] indicating that Westeros is roughly 900 miles wide at its widest point, east to west. North of the Wall, much land remains uncharted.
The Seven Kingdoms, first unified under Targaryen rule, are made out of nine regions (the crownlands, Dorne, the Iron Islands, the north, the Reach, the riverlands, the stormlands, the Vale of Arryn, and the westerlands).[3][29] Oceans that border Westeros are the Sunset Sea (to the south), the narrow sea (to the east, southern half), and the Shivering Sea (to the east, northern half).[29][30]
Eight days sail to the west of the Iron Islands, is the small island chain centered around the Lonely Light.[31][32] Far to the southwest, more than two weeks of sail from Oldtown, are the three small islands named Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya, the furthest west any known explorer has been and returned.[10] The Summer Isles are a large archipelago located south of Westeros and Essos, and west of Sothoryos.[33]
Essos
Separated from Westeros by the narrow sea, Essos extends eastwards for many thousands of miles. It is larger than Westeros, but much of it consists of less densely populated steppes, plains and deserts. The western edge of the continent is controlled by the nine Free Cities, while the city-states of Slaver's Bay are in the south-central region. Much of the continental interior, known as the Dothraki sea, is grassland ruled by the tribal warriors known as the Dothraki. Further east is Qarth and the fabled Jade Sea. The mapped lands of Essos are divided by the Bone Mountains, which run from the Shivering Sea in the north to the Jade Gates in the south. East of the Bone Mountains are the Plains of the Jogos Nhai, Yi Ti, the Grey Waste, Mossovy, and the legendary Asshai in the foreboding Shadow Lands.[3]
Sothoryos
Sothoryos, also written as Sothoros, is south of Essos, on the far side of the Summer Sea and Jade Sea. It is a large continent, perhaps as long as Essos is wide, consisting of deserts and jungles and mountains. It is said to be a haven for plagues and dangerous animals, and has not been explored much by Westerosi beyond the northern coastal regions. (The Summer Islanders may have mapped the continent and its coastlines, but they do not share their knowledge.)[34][35] Off the coast of northwestern Sothoryos are the Basilisk Isles, and to the west is Naath.[3]
Ulthos
Ulthos is a large landmass to the southeast of Essos, across the Saffron Straits from the Shadow Lands.[36] It may or may not be a continent, and its size is still unknown, as it is on the edge of the known world.[37]
Islands
The largest island in the known world is Great Moraq, between the Summer Sea and the Jade Sea to the south of Qarth. The second largest appears to be Ib in the Shivering Sea north of the Kingdoms of the Ifequevron, followed by the largest of the Summer Isles, Jhala.[3] See also various other islands.
Seas
The largest seas appear to be the Shivering Sea, north of Essos, and the Sunset Sea, west of Westeros. The Summer Sea and Jade Sea lie between Essos and Sothoryos, and the narrow sea separates Westeros from Essos.[3]
Other lands
Most scholars agree that because the world is round, it is theoretically possible to sail west from Westeros across the Sunset Sea and eventually come around to Asshai or Ulthos in the far east, but no one has ever succeeded in the attempt. There are basically three theories as to the size of the Sunset Sea: most believe that it is an ocean so vast that no ship could ever make the entire voyage to Yi Ti without running out of supplies, while a few explorers dare hope that it is just large enough for ships to successfully complete the trip (if they can find safe passage, though none ever have). A very rare few have posed the controversial question that the Sunset Sea might be so vast that there are actually entirely new, undiscovered continents between Westeros and Yi Ti.[6][8] George R. R. Martin has stated that he is not sure if counterparts of the Americas or Antarctica or Australia exist in the world.[4]
Alys Westhill and Eustace Hightower's expedition of 56 AC discovered Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya, three small islands in the Sunset Sea, southwest of Oldtown, that are further west than the Lonely Light. While Eustace turned back to return to Westeros, Alys continued sailing west, and was never seen again.[10]
Lord Gylbert Farwynd of the Lonely Light, the westernmost of the Iron Islands, speaks of lands farther to the west, across the Sunset Sea. According to him, this land has no winter and no death. These claims are not treated seriously.[31]
King Brandon the Shipwright of House Stark attempted to sail across the Sunset Sea, but never returned.[38]
Maesters have heard that explorers from the Summer Isles may have mapped the western coasts of Sothoryos to the bottom of the world. The explorers also may have discovered strange lands far to the south, and west across the Sunset Sea. However, the truth of these stories is known only to the princes of the isles and their captains.[35]
Quotes
The world has known ice in the Long Night, and it has known fire in the Doom. From the Frozen Shore to Asshai-by-the-Shadow, this world of ice and fire has revealed a rich and glorious history — although there is much yet to be discovered.[20]
—words of Yandel
It has long been accepted amongst the wise that our world is round. If this is true, it ought to be possible to sail over the top of the world and down its far side, and there discover lands and seas undreamed of. Over the centuries, many a bold mariner has sought to find a way through the ice to whatever lies beyond. Most, alas, have perished in the attempt, or returned south again half-frozen and much chastened.[8]
—words of Yandel
Wiser men suggest that somewhere beyond the waters we know, east becomes west, and the Shivering Sea must surely join the Sunset Sea, if indeed the world is round.[39]
—words of Yandel
Then as now, ignorant smallfolk and superstitious sailors clung to the belief that the world was flat and ended somewhere far to the west. Some spoke of walls of fire and boiling seas, some of black fogs that went on forever, some of the very gates of hell. Wiser men knew better. The sun and moon were spheres, as any man with eyes could see; reason suggested that the world must be a sphere as well, and centuries of study had convinced the archmaesters of the Conclave there could be no doubt of that. The dragonlords of the Freehold of Valyria had believed the same, as did the wise of many distant lands, from Qarth to Yi Ti to the isle of Leng.[6]
—words of Gyldayn
The same accord did not exist as regards the size of the world. Even amongst the archmaesters of the Citadel, there was deep division on that question. Some believed the Sunset Sea to be so vast that no man could hope to cross it. Others argued it might be no wider than the Summer Sea where it stretched from the Arbor to Great Moraq; a tremendous distance, to be sure, but one that a bold captain might hope to navigate with the right ship.[6]
—words of Gyldayn
Elissa Farman was convinced the world was “far larger and far stranger than the maesters imagine.” Not for her the merchant's dream of reaching Ulthos and Asshai by sailing west. Hers was a bolder vision. Between Westeros and the far eastern shores of Essos and Ulthos, she believed, lay other lands and other seas waiting to be discovered: another Essos, another Sothoryos, another Westeros.[6]
—words of Gyldayn
Behind the Scenes
You will find a map of the "known world" in THE LANDS OF ICE AND FIRE... one that includes lands and seas you have never seen on any of my maps before. [...] Even so, it's not a COMPLETE world map, no. The idea was to do something representing the lands and seas of which, say, a maester of the Citadel might be aware... and while the maesters know more about Asshai and the lands beyond than a medieval monk knew about Cathay, distance remains a factor, and past a certain point legends and myths will creep here. Here there be winged men, and such. [...] These are very nice maps, I hope you will agree. Huge and beautiful, and while they DON'T show the whole world (sorry, no, you're not going to get the Westerosi equivalent of the Americas or Antarctica or Australia, assuming such places exist), you will get a glimpse of distant lands where my characters (and thus the novels) will likely never go.[4]
When they were preparing the map book, my editor said to me, "There's not enough, we want a few more maps, could you give us your map of the East?" [...] So I invented a lot of other places in countries and places to the east, and all that. I fleshed out the world – still not a complete world map, by the way, know there are things even further east and the south and you know down where Antarctica is and all that stuff. But– if you look at the map, you will see that Westeros is the only continent that extends with land extends to the north. And you know Essos, as big as it is, which is the equivalent of Eurasia, is bordered on the north by an immense cold sea called the Shivering Sea which goes up into polar regions. So if you're going to follow the landmass, Westeros is the only place to go of course. I do presume that the world of Westeros is a globe, much as ours is. So presumably if you continue north far enough eventually you'll find yourself going south, as you passed a pole and reach the top of the world. Whether any of my characters will actually do that or not, well, keep reading.[40]
EW: This may be a silly question, but: When you think of the world you’ve created, where seasons last for years, where is it? It is another planet?
GRRM: It’s what Tolkien wrote was “the secondary world.” It’s not another planet. It’s Earth. But it’s not our Earth. If you wanted to do a science fiction approach, you could call it an alternate world, but that sounds too science fictional. [...] I have people constantly writing me with science fiction theories about the seasons — “It’s a double star system with a black dwarf and that would explain–” It’s fantasy, man, it’s magic.[41]
sdschaffer: Incidentally, are you ever going to give a name to the World of Ice and Fire? In the English-speaking world, we call our planet Earth. In the legendary period of Earth history written about by Tolkien, the inhabitants call it Arda.[N 9] Fans have, in the absence of such official names, dubbed the world of Westeros and Essos and Sothoryos ‘Planetos’, but that obviously feels a bit tongue in cheek.
Basically, if you were to sit down with a Maester and ask him what planet he lives on, he would have an answer, right?
GRRM: He would probably call it Earth.
Of course, it would not be that word, since he’d be speaking the Common Tongue, not English.
But it would mean Earth.[26]
See also
- The Lands of Ice and Fire, a collection of official maps of the world of A Song of Ice and Fire
- World Map (HBO Game Of Thrones), a map of the known world for the HBO Series Game of Thrones
- Geography Portal
- Astronomy
Notes
- ↑ "if men were good, the gods would give the world a summer without ending"[18]
- ↑ "Have I crossed half the world and seen the birth of dragons only to die with them in this hard hot desert?"[19]
- ↑ "reason suggested that the world must be a sphere"[6]
- ↑ "as cold and death filled the earth"[21]
- ↑ "he will unite the Dothraki into a single khalasar and ride to the ends of the earth"[22]
- ↑ "the stallion who mounts the world will have all the lands of the earth to rule"[23]
- ↑ "so long as I have this, there’s no man on earth I need fear"[24]
- ↑ "I am the last of the giants, my people are gone from the earth"[25]
- ↑ Interestingly, while fans of The Lord of the Rings use the word "Arda" to refer to its world, in-world that name is used only by the Elves (and literally means "Realm"). In the language of Men, the world's name translates to "Earth".[42]
References
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 64, Daenerys VIII.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Reign of the Dragons: The Conquest.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 The Lands of Ice and Fire, The Known World.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Not A Blog: Maps! Maps!! Maps!!! (October 30, 2012)
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Euron and the Globe (March 21, 2002).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Fire & Blood, Jaehaerys and Alysanne - Their Triumphs and Tragedies.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: Trade with Asshai (August 27, 2000).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: The Shivering Sea.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Fire & Blood, The Long Reign - Jaehaerys and Alysanne: Policy, Progeny, and Pain.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession.
- ↑ A Forum of Ice and Fire: Planetos (May 20, 2013)
- ↑ David J. Peterson: Imeimei: DJP's Tumblr (April 17, 2015)
- ↑ David J. Peterson: Imeimei: DJP's Tumblr (December 28, 2017)
- ↑ The Languages of David J. Peterson: Vȳs
- ↑ The Languages of David J. Peterson: Rhaesheser
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Ancient History: The Long Night.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 21, Tyrion III.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Glorious Reign.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 24, Bran IV.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 46, Daenerys V.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 54, Daenerys VI.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 52, Sansa IV.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 15, Jon II.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 Not A Blog: About Those Spinoffs... (comment thread) (May 15, 2017)
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 A Feast for Crows, Prologue.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Dawn Age.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 The Lands of Ice and Fire, Westeros.
- ↑ The Lands of Ice and Fire, Beyond the Wall.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 19, The Drowned Man.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands.
- ↑ The Lands of Ice and Fire, The West.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: Sothoryos.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: The Summer Isles.
- ↑ The Lands of Ice and Fire, The East.
- ↑ Not A Blog: Winter is Coming... (comment thread) (November 15, 2012)
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 66, Bran VII.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, Beyond the Free Cities: East of Ib.
- ↑ So Spake Martin: CCCB Press Conference (July 27, 2012). Archived video.
- ↑ Entertainment Weekly: George R.R. Martin talks 'A Dance With Dragons' (July 12, 2011)
- ↑ Tolkien Gateway: "Arda"