Nordidmedievalthinkersrestwiththisconception。Inaccordancewiththedominantviewthatphysicaltruthmustbesoughtbytheologicalreasoning，thedoctrinewasevolvedthatnotonlythesiteofthecrossonCalvarymarkedthegeographicalcentreoftheworld，butthatonthisveryspothadstoodthetreewhichboretheforbiddenfruitinEden。Thuswasgeographymadetoreconcileallpartsofthegreattheologicplan。Thisdoctrinewashailedwithjoybymultitudes；andwefindintheworksofmedievalpilgrimstoPalestine，againandagain，evidencethatthishadbecomeprecioustruthtothem，bothintheologyandgeography。Evenaslateas1664theeminentFrenchpriestEugeneRoger，inhispublishedtravelsinPalestine，dweltuponthethirty-eighthchapterofEzekiel，coupledwithatextfromIsaiah，toprovethattheexactcentreoftheearthisaspotmarkedonthepavementoftheChurchoftheHolySepulchre，andthatonthisspotoncestoodthetreewhichboretheforbiddenfruitandthecrossofChrist。[31]
[31]ForthesiteofthecrossonCalvary，asthepointwherestood“thetreeoftheknowledgeofgoodandevil“inEden，atthecentreoftheearth，seevariousEasterntravellerscitedinTobler；butespeciallythetravelsofBishopArculfintheHolyLand，inWright’sEarlyTravelsinPalestine，p。8；alsoTravelsofSaewulf，ibid，p。38；alsoSirJohnMandeville，ibid。，pp。
166，167。ForRoger，seehisLaTerreSaincte，Paris，1664，pp。
89-217，etc。；seealsoQuaresmio，TerraeSanctaeElucidatio，1639，forsimilarview；and，foronenarrativeinwhichtheideawasdevelopedintoanamazingmassofpiousmyths，seePilgrimageoftheRussianAbbotDaniel，editedbySirC。W。Wilson，London，1885，p。14。Thepassagedeservestobequotedasanexampleofmyth-making；itisasfollows：“AtthetimeofourLord’scrucifixion，whenhegaveuptheghostonthecross，theveilofthetemplewasrent，andtherockaboveAdam’sskullopened，andthebloodandwaterwhichflowedfromChrist’ssiderandownthroughthefissureupontheskull，thuswashingawaythesinsofmen。”
Norwasthistheonlymisconceptionwhichforceditswayfromoursacredwritingsintomedievalmap-making：twootherswerealmostasmarked。FirstofthesewasthevagueterrorinspiredbyGogandMagog。FewpassagesintheOldTestamentaremoresublimethanthedenunciationofthesegreatenemiesbyEzekiel；andthewell-knownstatementintheApocalypsefastenedtheHebrewfeelingregardingthemwithanewmeaningintothemindoftheearlyChurch：henceitwasthatthemedievalmap-makerstookgreatpainstodelineatethesemonstersandtheirhabitationsonthemaps。Forcenturiesnomapwasconsideredorthodoxwhichdidnotshowthem。