Jigsaw puzzle, A World in Pieces (Atlantic Section)

Described as ‘a great educator’ and a ‘delightful pastime’, this New Zealand-made, 567-piece jigsaw puzzle features a map of the Atlantic Ocean, North and South America, Africa, Europe, and part of Asia. Probably produced between 1937 and 1942, the title of the puzzle – ‘A World in Pieces’ – suggests something of the turmoil and uncertainty caused by world war.

Tim Bryars and Tom Harper suggest in A History of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps that the twentieth century was ‘the first period of near-universal map literacy, when maps proliferated and permeated almost every aspect of daily life’ (Bryars and Harper 2014, 8). The First World War greatly improved the production of maps, as they were needed as military tools. The war also increased ‘map-mindedness,’ as millions of people were sent abroad or beyond their immediate surroundings for the first time in their lives. When the war ended these servicemen brought back their knowledge and their map skills, meaning interest in maps continued to increase.

The makers of this puzzle encouraged users to ‘Be Worldly Wise’ and know the world they lived in, which was particularly important in the context of international conflict. The map demonstrates the extent to which maps had become part of the daily lives of New Zealanders by the mid-twentieth century.

Further Reading

• Bryars, Tim and Tom Harper. 2014. A History of the Twentieth Century in 100 Maps. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.