Cartography (from Greek khartes, "map" and graphein, "write"), or mapmaking, has been an integral part of the human story for a long time, possibly up to 8,000 years. From cave paintings to ancient maps of Babylon, Greece, and Asia, through the Age of Exploration, and on into the 21st century, people have created and used maps as the essential tools to help them define, explain, and navigate their way through the world. Mapping represented a significant step forward in the intellectual development of human beings. It serves as a record of the advancement of knowledge of the human race,which could be passed from members of one generation to those that follow in the development of culture. Maps began as two-dimensional drawings. Although that remains the nature of most maps, modern graphics have enabled projections beyond that.