Carta vs others

[JonathanHuber]

For anyone with Carta modules:

 

What is the benefit of these resources compared to the Accordance Atlas or an assortment of Bible dictionaries? What need is uniquely met by the Carta atlases?

 

Thank you,

Jonathan

[Helen Brown]

Sorry, we're so busy with the ETS and AAR/SBL meetings that no-one has had time to reply. Each of the Carta books is different. The Sacred Bridge is a massive mine of information on Biblical geography and historical background. Some of the books on the temple describe and illustrate the worship there, or the excavations and recreations. The actual atlases offer information on periods and events arranged historically with specific maps. Of course you cannot search for places inside the maps, nor create your own as you can with our Atlas. So the Carta series beautifully complements our Atlas and graphic materials.

 

I hope users will reply with their own impressions.

[JonathanHuber]

Can anyone else comment?

[arcanemuse]

I am about to buy the Scholar's package. From what I gather, the Sacred Bridge is an expansion of the MacMillian Atlas and the New Century is an abridgement of it. Some of the other modules look to be rather useful. I did a lot of research on this as I found out when I called to ask questions, the rep I spoke to didn't seem to know much about them. Of particular interest (to me, anyway) were the Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Holy Temple and the Illustrated Atlas of Jerusalem. For those two plus the Scholar's package, it came up to around 300, I think. The maps that are part of Accordance that we already have are quite good but the Sacred Bridge gives you a wealth of information to go with it. I guess from what I have read in my research on it, it would be like comparing a dictionary to an encyclopedia. Have a look at the Scholar's package and the others as well. You save more money on a package but you also get things tossed in that you might not want or need as part of the good deal. I found that by adding those two resources to the Scholar's I got a pretty compromise between the price and the content I wanted.

[Sean R.]

The Accordance Atlas is basically an interactive map of the biblical lands. It allows you to search for specific locations, cities, etc. You can control what information is displayed and how it is displayed. You can view (and build) animated routes and add your own locations to the map. Additionally, the Atlas allows you to calculate on the fly distances between various locations, view elevation data, and interact with the map in 3D. The Accordance team has done a superb job with the Atlas.

 

The Carta atlas The Sacred Bridge, on the other hand, provides a wealth of information related to the topography, geography, history, and climatology of the biblical lands. Generously illustrated with maps, diagrams, and pictures, the module is nonetheless primarily a compendium of information—communicated predominantly in written form rather than visual—related to the biblical lands. It is not a beautiful collection of maps (although many of its maps are excellent), nor are the locations on its maps searchable. It does, however, provide much more in-depth discussions than you will find in Bible dictionaries.

 

Personally, I find The Sacred Bridge (the most extensive of the Carta atlases; I own one or two of the smaller volumes in Accordance, but I rarely utilize them) and the Accordance Atlas to complement each other quite nicely. When I wish to quickly locate a biblical site, I search for it in the Atlas (or amplify from the text I'm studying). Need to calculate the distance between two or more biblical cities or check the elevation? The Atlas allows me to easily do so. Want to trace possible routes of the Exodus or create my own custom route? The Atlas is unparalleled. Yet if I want to know why a certain city was important in ancient times (or even central in a biblical narrative), I pull up The Sacred Bridge. The extensive, in-depth discussions in The Sacred Bridge take a critical, yet respectful, approach to the biblical text and draw on numerous ancient and modern sources.

 

If I didn't currently own The Sacred Bridge, I'd pick it up today, what with the current sale.

Edited November 27, 2012 by Sean R.

[Tony Lawrence]

Hi Jonathan,

 

I bought the Carta Select Combo when it first came out. I lead tours to the Bible Lands and wanted an in-depth source I could keep on my iPad while I travel. I have also taught Bible Geography. The best way I can put it is that Sacred Bridge is the BDAG of Atlases. It is THE source one would want to quote. On a personal level I believe The Quest by Leen Ritmeyer is unparalleled. If you are wanting basic information the Atlas and accompanying Photo Guide are excellent. If you desire a scholarly discussion Sacred Bridge is the standard. And, though not asked, if you want an extensive set of photos and maps one cannot find a better set than Todd Bolen's new updated Pictorial Library of the Bible Lands.

 

Hope this helps,