Ancient Egypt’s 3,000-year old geological maps: Before modern geologists had digital maps, Ancient Egyptians created topographic maps on papyrus tracking the locations of gold mines, David Bressan writes for Forbes. This particular map, which dates back to 1,150 BC, was discovered near Luxor in the early 1800s and is now on display at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, Italy. “The Turin-map, of course, is more of a treasure map or topographic map with indications for miners, as it is a true geological map,” Bressan notes, saying that it is nonetheless a “testimony of the keen practical and geological observations of the ancient Egyptians.”