Thematic cartography is one of the most interesting fields of cartography. Thematic atlases, unlike traditional general reference atlases depict a certain theme. The most commonly found antique or vintage thematic atlases are "physical atlases", mapping physical characteristics of the Earth like geology, orography, hydrography, meteorology, magnetism, zoogeography and more. The first physical atlas - Berghaus Physikalischer Atlas - appeared in Germany in 1840's under supervision of Heinrich Berghaus.
