S3 Ep6: Polar Bears and the Unknown with Djoeke van Netten
Update: 2025-08-19
Description
Jerry journeys to the Arctic polar region with Dr Djoeke van Netten from the University of Amsterdam, following the attempts by Dutch navigator Willem Barentsz and his crew to reach China via the northeast passage.
Djoeke explains the backstory of the Dutch trade missions that took place in 1594, 1595, and 1596 and how the 1596 mission was stranded in Novaya Zemlya [an island chain in present day Northern Russia] for almost a year.
These European explorers kept fascinating records of landscapes and animals that they had never encountered before, in particular polar bears—an animal that sparked significant curiosity and concern among the Dutch crew. Djoeke reveals how these interactions not only informed the crew's survival strategies but also shaped their perceptions of the Arctic.
Djoeke and Jerry discuss how maps not only record known geography but also convey what was unknown to European mapmakers - dotted lines and empty regions that reflect both an acknowledgment of limits and the ambition of further exploration.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Djoeke explains the backstory of the Dutch trade missions that took place in 1594, 1595, and 1596 and how the 1596 mission was stranded in Novaya Zemlya [an island chain in present day Northern Russia] for almost a year.
These European explorers kept fascinating records of landscapes and animals that they had never encountered before, in particular polar bears—an animal that sparked significant curiosity and concern among the Dutch crew. Djoeke reveals how these interactions not only informed the crew's survival strategies but also shaped their perceptions of the Arctic.
Djoeke and Jerry discuss how maps not only record known geography but also convey what was unknown to European mapmakers - dotted lines and empty regions that reflect both an acknowledgment of limits and the ambition of further exploration.
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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