Before Joseph Priestley published his famous timelines, Frenchman Jacques Barbeu-Dubourg built a 16-meter long timeline showing 140 years of world history, which can be mechanically scrolled and folded for transport. Not a physical visualization but maybe the first “interactive” timeline representation in history. Seen in a talk by Catherine Plaisant.
Sources:
- Stephen Boyd Davis (2009) The First Modern Timeline?
- Stephen Ferguson (1991) The 1753 Carte Chronographique by Jacques Barbeu Du Bourg.
- Photos from Rare Book Division, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.