Before computers existed, cartographers often combined translucent sheets of scribe film—like the red ones shown here—to make maps. Using a sharp, scalpel-like tool, cartographers would scratch or “scribe” geographical features into the sheet. Once scribed, each sheet would translate to a differently colored layer in the final product. For example, in the vibrant Illustrative site plan of Boston’s Government Center, shown in the center of this case, the red buildings and the blue buildings would have each been scribed separately.
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Scribe Film
| Title | Scribe film |
| Year | 1970s-1980s |
| Location | Richard K. Grady Papers, Norman B. Leventhal Map & Education Center |