The Latin word "mappa" originally referred to a napkin or cloth, reflecting how these medieval world maps were often drawn on animal skin parchment or fabric.

Because the East (the Orient) was placed at the top to point toward the Garden of Eden, aligning a map became known as "orientation."

In these maps, the "O" is the encircling ocean and the "T" represents major rivers and seas intersecting at Jerusalem, viewed as the spiritual center of the earth.

Unlike modern navigational charts, these maps heavily distorted physical geography to display biblical events, classical myths, and theological concepts in a visual format.