Mapping the Environment: Flooding and Boundaries in Seventeenth-Century Worms

Abstract Severe flooding in the city of Worms in 1651 was documented by the communal shamash (sexton), Juspe Schammes. This article maps his account of the flood as a tool for exploring Jewish familiarity, use, and perceptions of the early modern city in which he lived. By comparing Juspe’s descriptions to what he would have seen, utilizing early modern maps, the article further explores the gaps between reality and representation. This case study models how mapping may be used as a historical tool for exploring Jewish and Christian neighborhoods in early modern Europe.