This hand-painted map to The Mabinogion, created in 1988 by the remarkable Margaret Jones, is overflowing with the ancient myths and legends of Wales.
Rich with story and symbolism, every corner of the map tells a story.
Look closely and you’ll find Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, trading places with Arawn, lord of Annwn (the Otherworld); Blodeuwedd, the woman made of flowers, destined to betray; and Brân the Blessed (Bendigeidfran), the giant king whose head kept watch over Britain.
What makes Margaret’s achievement all the more remarkable is that she didn’t begin her career as an illustrator until she was 60 and she had never received any formal artistic training.
In 1979, she approached Aberystwyth Arts Centre to ask if she could hold an exhibition of her work. That exhibition caught the attention of the Arts Council of Wales, who invited her to illustrate a new edition of The Mabinogion.
The rest, as they say, is history, and the results included this map, now a cherished poster in schools and homes across the country.
