HistioGraph Publications

About

The HistioGraph is the latest in a long tradition of history timeline charts that have sought to visually represent human development over time. The development of the history timeline chart moved from genealogy and chronology charts in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and by the eighteenth century, bears a form familiar to those in publication today. The Chart of Universal World History, published in 1753, and Joseph Priestly's, A New Chart of History, published in 1769, established the basic format of many popular history timeline charts that were to follow.

The great contribution of the world history timeline chart is that it provides a concise perspective of world history. In using the powerful visual medium, it can help us understand the complex narrative of human development.

In its review of the Histomap, one of the more prominent history timeline charts of the 20th century, the (then) New York Tribune observed (c.1930s), it gives one a fresh realisation of the very recent insignificant contribution of those we are accustomed to call the great powers.

Like its predecessors, the HistioGraph celebrates the volatility of power. It tempers hubris and nationalist pride. This may seem counter-intuitive considering HistioGraph uses national comparisons as the basis of its narrative. But readers will appreciate the true source of power, influence and legacy is not through the ascendance of one nation over another, but in the expression and mutual exchange of ideas that enrich the human condition.

HistioGraph illustrates how the pride we draw from our achievements of today were made possible from standing on the shoulders of giants that came before, and that those giants were scattered across many places, across the ages. In that sense, HistioGraph tells a story about of all of us, regardless of where we were born or where we happen to live.

The HistioGraph also provides a tantalising insight into the future. In learning from the past, we can be certain that the balance of global power and influence will be very different in the 21st century and beyond, compared to today or at any time in the past. Perhaps in the future the very notion of power vesting in nation states will become increasingly irrelevant, as new and other forms and forums of power, influence and legacy will assume centre stage.

Of course history is not what happened in the past, but rather our record and understanding about what happened in the past. The arrangement of this history timeline chart reflects judgements - judgements about the divisions of world history, its apportion into nations, peoples and cultures, their span over time, their confluence with each other, and their relative prominence and influence. These judgements are of course subjective, and flawed.

The aim of HistioGraph is to provide a means to help understand history. If the reader gains a clearer perspective or insight into history or if HistioGraph merely provides a tool for the better enjoyment of history, then its aims will be achieved.