  The eclipse mapping method is an inversion technique that makes use of the
information contained in eclipse light curves to probe the structure, the
spectrum and the time evolution of accretion discs. In this review I present
the basics of the method and discuss its different implementations. I summarize
the most important results obtained to date and discuss how they have helped to
improve our understanding of accretion physics, from testing the theoretical
radial brightness temperature distribution and measuring mass accretion rates
to showing the evolution of the structure of a dwarf novae disc through its
outburst cycle, from isolating the spectrum of a disc wind to revealing the
geometry of disc spiral shocks. I end with an outline of the future prospects.
