6143
A Description of Early Maps
Originals and Facsimiles
(1452-1611)
Being a part of the permanent wall exhibition of
The American Geographical Society
With a partial list and brief references to the reproductions of others
which may be consulted in the Society's Library
By
EDWARD L. STEVENSON

OGRAPHICAL
AMERICAN
BIO
SOCIETY
OF
NEW
1634
American geographical society.
Library
•ries No.?.
Published by
The American Geographical Society of New York
Broadway at 156th Street
1921
A Description of Early Maps
Originals and Facsimiles
(1452-1611)
Being a part of the permanent wall exhibition of
The American Geographical Society
With a partial list and brief references to the reproductions of others
which may be consulted in the Society's Library
By
EDWARD L. STEVENSON
GEOGRAPHICAL

AMERICAN
BIOU
SOCIETY
1854
OF
NEW
Published by
The American Geographical Society of New York
Broadway at 156th Street
1921
For reproductions of mediaeval maps and portolan charts see:
KONRAD MILLER: Mappaemundi, Die ältesten Weltkarten. 6
Hefte.
C. RAYMOND BEAZLEY: The Dawn of Modern Geography.
J. LELEWEL: Géographie du Moyen Âge. Atlas.
BARON A. E. NORDENSKIÖLD: Facsimile Atlas.
: Periplus.
VISCOUNT DE SANTAREM: Atlas composé de mappemondes et de
cartes hydrographique et historique depuis le XI jusqu'au
XIIIe siècle.
E. F. JOMARD: Les monuments de la géographie ou receuil d'an-
ciennes cartes européennes et orientales, publiées en facsimile
de la grandeur des originaux (Library of the Hispanic Society
of America).
THEOBALD FISCHER: Sammlung mittelalterlicher Welt- und
Seekarten italienischen Ursprungs, with Ongania facsimiles.
KONRAD KRETSCHMER: Atlas zur Entdeckung Amerikas.
E. L. STEVENSON: Portolan Charts, Their Origin and Character-
istics.
: Atlas of Portolan Charts.
: Portolan Atlas signed “Joan Martines en Messina Any
1582."
: Portolan Atlas signed "Yhs Ma Xgo Conte de Otto-
mano Freducci.
: Facsimiles of Portolan Charts. 16 reproductions.
: Maps reproduced as glass transparencies.
、
Geog.
A.G. §.
5-19-25
11912
Maps Framed and Hanging on the Walls
of the Building
No. 1-WORLD MAP OF JOHANNES LEARDUS, 1452.
This original parchment map, one of the finest products of this
skilful Italian map maker, represents the world as it was known
about the middle of the fifteenth century. It retains certain
mediaeval map features such as an orientation with the East at
the top, numerous towns represented in picture and scattered
somewhat promiscuously over the map, the Red Sea colored red,
being round in form with an encircling ocean.
It lays down the record of West African coast exploration, so
far as that exploration had been carried under the leadership of
Prince Henry the Navigator. The unknown region of South
Africa has been made somewhat conspicuous as if to center atten-
tion in that direction. The Gulf of Guinea gives evidence of an
acquaintance with its northern coast line, and the Mediterranean
region, including the Black Sea, is well drawn. The outlying
regions on the border of the known world are still fancifully
represented, but the author seems to have felt himself justified
in rounding out his space with conjectural continental outlines.
In a broad band encircling the map proper the author has in-
scribed elaborate astronomical tables, with allegorical figures at
the four corners of the parchment sheet.
REFERENCES
GIUSEPPE CRIVELLARI: Alguni Gimeli della Cartografia Medievale existenti a
Verona.
BARON A. E. NORDENSKIÖLD: Periplus.
THEOBALD FISCHER: Sammlung mittelalterlicher Welt- und Seekarten.
OTHER IMPortant Maps of the PERIOD:
See references under No. 2.
I
No. 2-GENOESE WORLD MAP, 1457.
This is a facsimile, including the colors of the original, of a
parchment map preserved in the National Library of Florence.
It is clearly of Genoese origin but of unknown authorship, being
dated, on the left, 1457.
To it a peculiar interest attaches by reason of the character and
fullness of its records. It belongs to a period of transition.
Ptolemy's Geography had been recovered, and that ancient cos-
mographer was becoming anew a teacher to the peoples of
Europe. The author surpasses his contemporaries in exhibiting
an effort to bring into harmony the ancient and the mediaeval
geographical ideas with those of his own day. He makes record
of explorations by land and by sea which lead us directly into the
day of New World discoveries.
Its eliptical shape, not altogether common to maps of the
period, nor to those of earlier centuries which have survived
time's destruction, makes the longitude appear to be about twice
that of the latitude.
The map is liberally ornamented with architectural subjects,
with crowned kings, with marvelous animals of land and sea, as if
these were all important entries from a geographical standpoint.
The author appears to have known his Pliny, whom he cites in
his legends. He follows Ptolemy closely but not slavishly. The
Indian Ocean is no longer an enclosed sea; considerable acquaint-
ance with the northland of Europe and Asia is indicated, likewise
with India and with East and West Africa. He follows Ptolemy
in his representation of the Mountains of the Moon and the lake
sources of the Nile, as he does in his representation of the Red
Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf and the coast line of India.
He shows an acquaintance with the record of Marco Polo and of
Nicolo di Conti, overland travelers into China and far away
Cathay. One is particularly attracted to his well drawn Mediter-
ranean regions, in which he has followed the best type of the por-
tolan chart. He represents the islands recently discovered or
rediscovered, for some of them had been known to the early
2
Romans, to the west of Africa, and he gives remarkably inter-
esting record of the progress of Portuguese discovery down the
African coast.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON: Genoese World Map 1347. Facsimile with critical text.
THEOBALD FISCHER: Sammlung mittelalterlicher Welt- und Seekarten.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD:
Andrea Bianco, 1436.
Borgian Map, 1450.
Catalan World Map of Florence, 1450.
World Map of Fra Mauro, 1459.
Portolan Charts of the period.
No. 3—THE GLOBE OF MARTIN BEHAIM, 1492.
This is one of the three facsimiles, in this country, of the oldest
extant terrestrial globe. The original, having a diameter of
about 20 inches, has its map drawn on parchment which has been
pasted on a prepared globe shell and is now preserved in the
archives of the Behaim family of Nürnberg.
Martin Behaim belonged to the merchant class of this flourish-
ing South German city. He found his way to Portugal, became
interested in Portuguese African exploration, returned in the
year 1490 to his native city, where on invitation of its Council he
undertook the construction of what he called his "Erdapfel."
There has been preserved to us somewhat detailed information as
to the progress of the work, from its beginning to its completion.
A belief in a spherical earth dates from a rather remote an-
tiquity, and there had been many attempts before Behaim's day
at a material representation of its sphericity, but his globe now
holds the unique distinction of being the oldest which has come
down to us. Its map is of striking interest because of its date, and
because of its summary of geographical knowledge recorded at
the very threshold of a new era. He tells us that it is based upon
Ptolemy, upon the travels of Marco Polo and of Sir John Mande-
ville, upon the explorations carried on by King John of Portugal
and the peoples of the Mediterranean Lands.
Very naturally he omits the New World, but he exhibits the
3
possibility of an ocean voyage westward from Europe to the
shores of eastern Asia, though he has much underestimated the
distance from Portugal to China, erroneously representing
Cipangu (Japan) as near the actual longitude of Mexico. His
map is filled with pictures and legends which he intended should
be strictly geographical in character, and more than 1100 place
names are given.
Many of the fabulous islands of the Atlantic and other oceans
appear, each with a legend telling the commonly accepted story
concerning it, among which islands may be named Saint Bran-
dans, Antillia, and the Island of the Seven Cities.
He gives very detailed information concerning the Portuguese
discoveries, including the voyage of Bartholomew Diaz to a point
on the east coast of Africa. Here we find an interesting feature,
this being the last vestige of the extension of that continent
eastward at its southern extremity, which Ptolemy had made to
reach even to the east coast of Asia.
REFERENCES
E. G. RAVENSTEIN: Martin Behaim, His Life and His Globe.
F. W. GHILLANY: Geschichte des Seefahrers Ritter Martin Behaim.
E. L. STEVENSON: Terrestrial and Celestial Globes, Their History and Construc-
tion, with consideration of their value as aids in the study of geography and
history.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD:
The Laon globe, ca. 1493.
Map of the world by Henricus Germanus, 1492.
Ptolemy Maps in editions of 1478, 1482, 1490.
No. 4-WORLD CHART OF ALBERT CANTINO, 1502.
This is a facsimile, omitting the colors of the original, of a
parchment map of large size belonging to the Royal Estense
Library of Modena. Its record of the latest geographical dis-
coveries in the west, includes a reference to the third voyage of
Columbus, to the Corte Real voyages, to the expedition of Cabral,
and to that of Hojeda with whom Vespucci sailed in the year
1499. There is good reason for thinking it exhibits in part the
cartographical work of Vespucci.
4
The land visited by the Corte Reals is called "Terra del Rey du
Portuguall," and to the northeast of this land we find a region,
"A parte de Asia" apparently drawn as a peninsula of the Old
World mainland. No generic name is given to the northwest
continent here represented, but there is no justifiable reason for
believing the cartographer thought this to be a part of the east
Asiatic region. Cuba bears the name "Ilha yssabella," and below
the West Indian Archipelago we find the name Antilles, first
employed to designate these islands, in the legend "Has antilhas
del Rey de castella."
The South American coast line beginning in the vicinity of
Margarita Island extends to about 38° south latitude. Of the
twenty-nine names along this coast but three appear on the
Juan de la Cosa map of 1500. Across the southern continent,
which is ornamented with an elaborate landscape and the oldest
of its kind known, is written the legend telling us that "All this
land was discovered by command of the King of Castile.”
For a study of exploration and discovery in the East the map is
also one of great value. The coast nomenclature of the African
coast is exceedingly rich. India is no longer the India of Ptolemy.
Considering the treatment to which this old document has
been subjected it may be considered as being remarkably well
preserved. Stolen from the Ducal Library of Ferrara more than
three hundred years ago, it eventually passed into the hands of a
Roman shop-keeper who found it most useful as a cover for a
common screen and he trimmed it to suit his purpose. More
than sixty years ago it was purchased and presented to the Li-
brary which now claims it as one of its priceless treasures.
REFERENCES
HENRY HARRISSE: Les Corte-Real et leurs voyages au Nouveau-Monde.
E. L. STEVENSON: Maps Illustrating Early Discovery and Exploration in America.
This facsimile is No. I of the series.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD Closely RELATED TO CANTINO's Chart:
Map of Juan de la Cosa, 1500.
See for further references the following:
No. 5 and the maps there referred to.
5
No. 5-WORLD CHART OF NICOLO DE CANERIO, 1502.
This facsimile of Canerio's World Chart, omitting the colors of
the original, has made easily available one of the most valuable
of the earliest efforts to lay down the coasts of the New World.
The original is a vellum manuscript document preserved in the
Archives du Service Hydrographique de la Marine of Paris. Cane-
rio called himself a Genoese; he probably was one of those
Italians who found employment as map-makers in Portugal or in
Spain in the early years of great trans-oceanic discoveries.
Clearly he had gathered his information from a Portuguese chart
or from Portuguese charts. It exhibits many of the characteris-
tics of the portolan chart, its geographical nomenclature being
practically limited to the continental coasts, and its compass or
direction lines are made to radiate from centers regularly dis-
tributed over its surface, the principal center being located in the
heart of Africa.
In its general outlines it closely resembles the World Chart of
Cantino, No. 4, but it was worked out with less care and skill.
Along the border on the left there is indicated, perhaps for the
first time on a marine chart, degrees of latitude which extend
from 56° south to 71° north latitude. His Africa and his Mediter-
ranean coast lands are drawn with a remarkable approach to
accuracy, and his names of localities are more numerous than are
those on any other charts of that early period. Only those Atlan-
tic coasts of the New World are represented which had been
visited before 1502, and it is particularly interesting to note that
it makes record of explorations which are not to be found re-
ferred to in written reports. There is no indication that the
newly discovered lands were thought to be a part of Asia.
Greenland is made to project westward as a peninsula of Eu-
rope; the region visited by the Corte Reals is represented lying
too far to eastward, perhaps to bring it within the Papal assign-
ment to Portugal of that part of the world in which its King
might lay claim to newly discovered lands; the peninsula of
Florida is well outlined, considering the early date, but we are
ignorant of the explorer who first sketched its coasts; an unex-
6
plored area is indicated in the region of Central America, and the
South American coast is represented from the Gulf of Mara-
caibo to the mouth of the La Plata River, along which we find
twenty-five more names than appear on Cantino's Chart. These
must have been assigned by one or more of the eight expeditions
made to these parts before 1502, and perhaps more of these
names are traceable to Vespucci than to any other. Ptolemy is
no longer the authority for the representation of the far eastern
regions.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON: The Marine World Chart of Nicolo de Canerio Januensis.
L. GALLOIS: Une nouvelle Carte marine du XVIe siècle, le Portolan de Nicolo de
Canerio.
HENRY HARRISSE: The Discovery of North America.
GABRIEL MARCEL: Reproductions de Cartes et de Globes.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD CLOSELY RELATED TO CANERIO'S CHART:
World Chart of Cantino, 1502. No. 4.
Map of Pilestrina, 1503, Stevenson's reproduction.
Munich-Portuguese map, 1503, Stevenson's reproduction.
Maps of Martin Waldseemüller, particularly those of 1507, and 1516.
Pesaro world chart, ca. 1504, Stevenson's reproduction.
Map of Pedro Reinel, 1505.
No. 6-PESARO WORLD CHART, CA. 1504.
The original of this photographic reproduction, about 200 by
100 cms. in size, belongs to the Oliveriana Library of Pesaro,
Italy. It is neither signed nor dated. Like the Cantino and the
Canerio Charts it has many of the features of the portolan
chart.
The extreme northern part of the New World is represented as
three distinct regions, exhibiting much confusion as to the iden-
tity of Greenland and the land discovered by the Corte Reals.
The Island of "Frislanda" is represented, and the name "Insula de
labardor" is given to a small island lying to its south-west. The
north continental coast line of the New World appearing, for
example, in the Chart of Canerio, is omitted. Very many
of the West Indian Islands, with names, are represented, while
7
the Island of Cuba has the outline as given by Juan de la Cosa,
thus indicating an early source. The Atlantic coast of South
America is drawn from Yucatan to a point near the mouth of the
La Plata River. The names along this coast, not numerous, are
of very early origin. The chart maker has represented, with
some uncertainty, the mouth of the Amazon River, and while
not accurately locating his mountain ranges gives special prom-
inence to the fact that mountains constitute a prominent feature
of this continent which he calls "Mundus Nouus."
In his outline of the Old World the author is in practical agree-
ment with Cantino and Canerio.
In the heart of Africa Prester John is located, for whom the
Portuguese made search in the days of Henry the Navigator.
One will observe that the Mediterranean is represented with a
much nearer approach to accuracy than may be found on the
Ptolemy maps and those especially influenced by these maps, but
the Caspian Sea, the land of Arabia, the Red Sea, and northern
Africa from Cape Guardafui westward to the Atlantic coast are
far from having their true relations and proportions given.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON: Facsimile reproduction of the Pesaro world chart.
HENRY HARRISSE: Découverte et évolution cartographique de Terre-Neuve.
Raccolta di Documenti e studi, Pt. IV, Vol. II.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD ARE REFERRED TO UNDER Nos. 4 AND 5.
No. 7-WORLD MAP OF MARTIN WALDSEEMÜLLER,
1507.
In the year 1901 Professor Joseph Fischer of Stella Matutina
College, Feldkirch, Austria discovered in the library of Prince
Waldburg of Wolfegg in Württemberg a copy each of two of the
most interesting and important maps of the early sixteenth cen-
tury. They are large engraved world maps, the work of Martin
Waldseemüller.
The first of these appeared in the year 1507, the same year in
8
which Waldseemüller issued his "Cosmographiae Introductio"
wherein he had proposed the name America for that part of the
New World which he thought had been discovered by Amerigo
Vespucci. "Inasmuch as both Europe and Asia received their
names from women, I see no reason," he stated therein, "why any
one should justly object to calling this part Amerige, i.e., the land
of Amerigo, or America, after Amerigo, its discoverer, a man of
great ability." He had further stated therein the purpose of his
little book as being "to write a description of the world map which,
we have designed."
His "world map" is the one here reproduced in facsimile, and on
it for the first time we find the name "America" assigned to a
part of the New World, that is to a part of South America.
For the Old World Waldseemüller has followed somewhat
closely the Ptolemy maps. From Marco Polo he borrowed
practically all the legends in northern and eastern Asia, and he
tells us that he also had consulted the Portolan charts of the
period, probably including such as the King Chart and that
of Canerio.
If there could be any doubt at all as to the belief of Cantino, or
Canerio, or of Juan de la Cosa relative to the independent posi-
tion of the newly discovered lands in the West, judging from the
manner in which they outlined those lands, there could not have
been any doubt in the mind of Waldseemüller seeing that he has
represented them as bordered by the ocean both on the east and
the west. On the map proper he represents the north continental
area as separated from that on the south by a wide strait, but on
his inset map he has represented these continents, for the first
time, as a continuous body of land.
This is the first large printed map on which the new discoveries
of the Spaniards and the Portuguese are represented, and the
first attempt to complete and to print on a large scale the world-
picture of Ptolemy, by adding the statements of Marco Polo, and
the records of the Portuguese marine charts of his day.
Waldseemüller's influence on the mapping of the New World
in particular was wide-reaching, and the discovery of this copy
9
has made practically necessary the rewriting of much of the
history of New World cartography.
REFERENCES
JOSEPH FISCHER and FRANZ VON WIESER: Die älteste Karte mit dem Namen
Amerika, aus dem Jahre 1507, und die Carta Marina, aus dem Jahre 1516.
EDWARD HEAWOOD: The oldest map with the name America.
CHARLES G. HERBERMANN (ED.): The Cosmographiae Introductio of Martin
Waldseemüller in facsimile. United States Catholic Historical Society Publica-
tion, Monograph IV.
E. L. STEVENSON: Martin Waldseemüller and the Lusitano-Germanic Cartography
of the New World.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD RELATED TO THE World Map of MARTIN
WALDSEMÜLLER:
Liechtenstein globe gores, 1509.
Glareanus maps, ca. 15IO.
Waldseemüller-Ptolemy, 1513.
The Green globe, 1515.
Globe maps of Johann Schöner, 1515, 1520.
Boulengier globe gores, ca. 1518.
Cordiform map of Peter Apianus, 1520.
Map of Johannes Honterus, 1546.
No. 8-CARTA
MARINA OF MARTIN
MÜLLER, 1516.
WALDSEE-
This is a reproduction of the second map by Martin Waldsee-
müller, found by Professor Fischer in the year 1901 in Wolfegg
Castle. It is both signed and dated, and we learn from one of its
legends that the map of 1507 was printed in one thousand copies,
of which but one seems to have come down to us.
This Marine chart appears to be what we may call a printed
edition of Canerio's manuscript chart (No. 4), with certain modi-
fications of rather minor importance, and one will find it inter-
esting to make a comparison of certain selected details, such as
the crescent-like figures on the left, and the system of compass
roses with a large central rose in the heart of Africa. There
appears reason for thinking that the Canerio Chart came into
the hands of Duke René, Waldseemüller's patron, at the same
ΙΟ
time that the letters of Vespucci were received, which Waldsee-
müller printed as an appendix to his "Cosmographiae Intro-
ductio," and that this served him as a source both for his map of
1507 and his Chart of 1516, particularly for the latter.
As an example of early engraving this Chart is notable; its
ornamentation and much of its pictorial decoration suggests the
work of Albrecht Dürer.
It will be noted that the name "America" does not appear but
instead merely the names "Terra Nova," and "Brasilia sive Terra
Papagalli." The name "Parias" has been transferred to South
America, while the north continental area is called "Terra de
Cvba Asie Partis," but no information whatever is given as to the
manner in which this New World region was thought to be con-
nected with the continent of Asia, since the author has omitted
all that part of the world lying between 150° and 280°.
See references under No. 7.
REFERENCES
OTHER IMPORtant Maps oF THE PERIOD, SAME AS UNDER No. 7.
No. 9-TURIN-SPANISH MAP, 1523.
This is a photographic reproduction of an original parchment
map belonging to the Royal Library of Turin, Italy. It is neither
signed nor dated, but internal evidence warrants our placing it
not later than 1523. In its nomenclature the Spanish and the
Portuguese languages have been employed, and special emphasis
seems to be placed on Spanish discoveries which had been made
prior to its draughting.
Its coast nomenclature is unsurpassed in richness by any other
map of that early period. More than three hundred names ap-
pear in the New World, and one is impressed with the rather
unusually near approach to accuracy in the spelling of its coast
names.
It omits the region in the north visited by the Corte Reals and
II
the Cabots. As much of the Florida coast is given as was visited
by Ponce de Leon, indicating a knowledge of that explorer's
expedition. To the peninsula is given the name "Isla Florida,"
which is a very unusual designation on early charts. From
"Rio del Espirito Santo," where the north coast line of the Gulf
of Mexico begins there is an unbroken coast to a point near six
degrees up the west coast of South America, or as it appears,
to that point whence Magellan set sail for his cruise across
the Pacific. Here we read "Tierra de dezembre," which appears
to be the latest discovery indicated and which probably records
information brought back very soon after the passage of the
strait.
The city of Mexico has the circular form appearing after the
Cortes conquest. Only a small section of the Pacific coast of
South America has been drawn. No part of this southern conti-
nent bears a generic name, but the author has sketched in it an
elaborate forest in which the parrot is conspicuous, as in the Can-
tino and the Canerio Charts. In the north Atlantic "Islandia"
is represented. Northern Europe appears as in the Donis maps
and the map of Martin Waldseemüller of 1507. Coast nomen-
clature for the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and Africa is very
extensive, but in the far East the names are few.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON: Maps illustrating early discovery and exploration in America,
No. 6.
HENRY HARRISSE: The Discovery of North America.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD, AND SOMEWHat Related:
Munich-Portuguese, 1519, Stevenson's reproduction.
Map of Maiollo, 1519, Stevenson's reproduction.
The maps referred to under No. 10.
12
No. 10-WORLD MAP OF VESCONTE DE MAIOLLO, 1527.
This is a faithful reproduction of an original parchment map
belonging to the Ambrosian Library of Milan. Its author and
date inscription reads: "Vesconte de Maiollo composuy hanc car-
tam in Janua anno dny, 1527, die XX Decenbri."
The author had a place of first importance among the cartog-
raphers of his day, and his effort in the preparation of this map
seems to have been to include the latest word from discoveries in
the New World, whether truthful or merely conjectural. The
Old World section of the map accords in the main with other
maps of the day. He makes conspicuous in Africa the Nile
River and its source in the mountains of the extreme south, that
is the Mountains of the Moon. He seems to center attention on
the northern part of Europe and of Asia through his striking illus-
trations.
The map exhibits certain very novel features in its outline of
the New World. Verrazano had reported his expedition along the
Atlantic coast for the King of France in search for a strait leading
to the Pacific, and his discovery of a narrow isthmus, in the vicin-
ity of the Carolinas, beyond which lay the great western ocean.
In attempting to represent this supposed discovery, a peculiar
trend has been given to the Pacific coast of our present North
America.
Early map makers had been indicating the existence of a pas-
sage way between North America and South America-for this
repeated search had been made though not found,—but the map
makers encouraged continued search by recording it as a geogra-
phical fact. Maiollo gives us the record that such a passage way
probably existed, and he designates the same as a strait (canal?)
but calls it "streito dubitoso."
Only the explorers Corte Real, Columbus, and Magellan are
especially referred to by Maiollo, but the numerous French names
along the Atlantic coast give distinct evidence that his informa-
tion had been obtained, to a considerable extent from Varra-
zano's reports. We find such names as "Normanvilla,” “Angui-
leme,” “Anaflor," "Diepa," and "Francesca" a name given to the
13
entire northern region. South America is not well proportioned
in outline. We find its northern section designed as "Terra noua
descoberta per cristofa colonbo Januensem de re de spana," and
its eastern section called "Terra sante crusis de la Brazile de por-
tugale." The undiscovered Pacific coast is designed as "Terra
incognita.”
REFERENCES
E. S. STEVENSON: Maps illustrating early exploration and discovery in America.
No. X.
HENRY HARRISSE: The Discovery of North America.
OTHER IMPORrtant Related Maps:
See No. II below.
The World by Sebastian Münster, 1532.
Weimar-Spanish Map-Stevenson's reproduction.
Maps of Diego Ribero, 1529, Stevenson's reproduction.
Ulpius Globe, 1542.
No. 11—THE WORLD MAP OF HIERONIMUS DE VER-
RAZANO, 1529.
In the Borgian Museum of the College of the Propaganda,
Rome, is preserved the original parchment map of which this is a
facsimile in photograph, colored in accord with that original by
an Italian artist in the Museum itself.
It is the work of the brother of the explorer Giovanni Ver-
razano and is signed "Hieronimus de Verrazano faciebat," its
date being determined as 1529 by the record in a legend in what
we may call North America, noting that the region had been
discovered five years before by Giovanni da Verrazano. Since
we know that Giovanni made his voyage of discovery in the year
1524 we can therefore place the date of its draughting.
The peninsula which we find on the Maiollo map of 1527 in the
vicinity of the Carolinas is here represented. A legend to the
right of it tells us "From this oriental sea is seen the western sea.
There are six miles of land between one and the other." The
western sea is nameless, but on certain later charts it is called
"Mar di Verrzano." Near this peninsula we read that to the
14
country is assigned the name "Verrazano siue noua gallia—,” but
the origin of the name "Iucatanet" which also appears in this
legend is unknown. Numerous French names appear along the
coast which without doubt are of Verrazanian origin.
Errors in both latitude and longitude are striking in the
geography, especially of the New World. In its representation
of the Gulf of Mexico it is more nearly accurate than is the Chart
of Francisco de Garay and the Charts of Diego Ribero. “Iuca-
tana" is represented, though somewhat doubtfully, as an island.
The Bermudas are not represented, the Bahamas appear but are
nameless, and such of the West Indian Islands as are shown
are well drawn, and the larger ones are named. Near the coast
of Caraccas is the legend "Terra America,” and south of it the
name "Parias." To Brazil the names "Terra Sancte Crucis"
and "Verzino” are given while in the interior we read "Mundus
Novus."
In the representation of the east coast of Asia Ptolemy has, in
the main, been followed, as he has been followed in the repre-
sentation of northern and north-west Europe.
Verrazano has drawn his equator somewhat below the middle
of his map, representing ninety degrees above and sixty-four
degrees below the same, while he has included about three hun-
dred and twenty degrees of longitude.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON; Maps illustrating early discovery and exploration, No. 12.
J. C. BREVOORT: Notes on Giovanni da Verrazano.
H. C. MURPHY: The voyage of Verrazano.
OTHER MAPS OF IMPORTANCE OF THE PERIOD AND RELATED TO VERRAZANO'S:
See No. II.
Maps of Pedro Reinel, 1515, 1519.
Map in Ptolemy Atlas of 1530.
Maps of Agnese, ca. 1545.
Globe of Ulpius, 1542.
Map of Gastaldi, 1548.
Map of Nicolas Desliens, 1541.
Map of Pierre Desceliers, 1550.
Map of Ruscelli, 1548.
15
+
No. 12-MAP OF THE WORLD BY GERARD MERCATOR,
1538.
Of this world map by Mercator but two original copies are now
known, one belonging to the American Geographical Society
and the other to the New York Public Library. Next to his map
of Palestine of the year 1536 this represents his earliest indepen-
dent work. It is drawn on the double cordiform projection, a pro-
jection it is interesting to compare with that employed by Wald-
seemüller in his map of 1507 (No. 7).
In this map Mercator departed from that idea largely prevail-
ing in his day which connected the New World with Asia, an idea
becoming especially pronounced after the conquest of Cortes.
He not only makes the New World a separate and distinct region
but applies the name "AMERICAE” to both North and South
America, long thought to be the first application of that name to
both continents. Recent discovery now assigns this honor to the
Green Globe of Paris, made probably as early as 1515.
In its continental outlines Marcator's map does not equal cer-
tain others of the period. He does not give the latest and best
information concerning the geography of the far East; he sur-
rounds both the north and the south pole with a great continental
body of land, perhaps in part to be explained by his later ex-
pressed theory that such land areas must exist as a world balance.
REFERENCES
J. VAN RAEMDONCK: Orbis Imago, Mappemonde de Gerard Mercator de 1538.
E. F. HALL: Gerard Mercator. (In Bulletin of the American Geographical Society,
1878.)
Reproduction of the Map by the American Geographical Society.
SANTAREM: Facsimile Atlas.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD AND MORE OR LESS RELATED:
Cordiform map of Orontius Finaeus, 1531.
Gore map of Alonso de Santa Cruz, 1542.
Globe gore map of Franciscus De Mongenet, 1552.
Globe gore map of Antonius Florianus, 1560.
16
No. 13-MAP OF THE WORLD ATTRIBUTED TO SEBAS-
TIAN CABOT, 1544.
In the National Library of Paris may be found the only known
original copy of the map of which this is an excellent photographic
facsimile. Legend XVII, on the right, tells us that "Sebastian
Cabot, captain and pilot major of his sacred and imperial ma-
jesty the emperor Don Carlos, the fifth of this name, and king,
our lord, made this figure extended in plane, in the year of the
birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, 1544." For numerous reasons
there has long been, among students of these early maps, an
inclination to doubt its strictly Cabotian origin. If in its geo-
graphical outlines and geographical records it is wanting such
approach to accuracy as may be found in certain other maps of
the period, this in part is attributable to the kind of projection
employed, and to the sources employed.
It will be noted that the conspicuous legends on the right and
the left had been separately engraved and attached to the map
proper, and that they are given in both the Latin and the Spanish
languages. Although, at this time Sebastian Cabot was in the
employ of Spain as pilot major, it appears certain that the map
was neither engraved nor printed in Spain. The first map of
America printed in that country appeared in a work by Pedro
de Medina in the year 1549, and the second in Gomara's History
published in the year 1554.
As a record of the Cabot voyages to the New World it does not
tell a faithful and true story as we know it from other sources,
but the variation is not without much interest. Newfoundland,
for example, is broken up into a group of islands. The record of
French explorations in the region of the Gulf and River St.
Lawrence is full, including the surveys of Cartier and Roberval.
While its details respecting the geography of the Atlantic coast
may be found to be far from accurate, the trend of that coast line
in general is superior to that found on the majority of other early
Spanish maps, such as those of Ribero.
The author of this map clearly drew his information, or much
of it from other maps of his day, Spanish and French, but he exer-
17
cised a liberty with his material which exhibits carelessness and
want of scholarship. For the western or California region the
map of the pilot Domingo del Castillo of 1541 was followed.
REFERENCES
J. G. KOHL: History of the discovery of Maine.
HENRY HARRISSE: John Cabot, the discoverer of North America, and Sebastian, his
son.
GEORGE P. WINSHIP: Cabot Bibliography.
OTHER IMPORTANT MAPS OF THE PERIOD:
See Nos. 10 and II.
No. 14-THE WORLD MAP OF WILLEM JANSZ. BLAEU,
1605.
The original of this map, of which but one copy is known, may
be found in the Library of The Hispanic Society of America. It is
the work of one of the most distinguished map makers of the
period, being engraved on eighteen copper plates and printed in
Amsterdam.
Most of its errors in the continental outlines are the common
errors of the day. Africa has a breadth of more than eighty de-
grees, and the east coast of Asia, particularly its northern half is
far from accurate. This section however is better represented
than by Hondius six years later, who clearly suited his represen-
tation to a belief in a perfectly open sea route to China and the
Orient by the north.
Blaeu's Mediterranean has much too great an extension in
longitude, and is too narrow. The great austral continental land
called "Magallanica" in the New World hemisphere, is that which
so commonly appears in the world maps of the day.
North America is made to extend through more than one hun-
dred and sixty degrees of longitude, while South America is given
a breadth of more than sixty degrees. The erroneous represen-
tation of the "Martin Forbischers Strate," a curious early geo-
graphical blunder, is retained. The fabulous islands of "Fris-
landia," "Brasil," "Da Mann," "S. Brandan” still have a represen-
18
tation. The latest attempts of Willem Barentszoon and of other
less distinguished explorers from Holland to find a northeast pas-
sage to China are recorded.
Blaeu has called attention to the four distinguished explorers
who, prior to the time of the issue of his map, had circumnavi-
gated the globe, placing their portraits in an elaborate cartouch
south of South America, and notes their success in a somewhat
lengthy legend, these four being Magellan, Drake, Cavendish,
and van der Nort.
The artistic adornment of Blaeu's Map is not its least attractive
feature. Its border alone gives it a high place among the fine
examples of copper engraving of the period. Ships, sea monsters,
and land animals are numerous.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON: Willem Janszoon Blaeu and his map of 1605.
J. P. H. BAUDET: Leven en werken van Willem Jansz. Blaeu.
JOHN BLAEU: Atlas, 12 Vols.
OTHER MAPS OF THE PERIOD:
World Map of Peter Plancius, 1592.
The maps of Jodocus Hondius, Gerhard Mercator, Peter Goos, Jan Janssonius et al.
See No. 15.
No. 15-WORLD MAP OF JODOCUS HONDIUS, 1611.
The unique original of this map may be found in the Library
of Wolfegg Castle, in which Library may also be found the Wald-
seemüller maps.
Hondius' Map, more elaborate than is that by Blaeu (No. 14),
closely resembles it, and doubtless is in part a copy. It is inter-
esting to compare the similarity in detail. The fact is exceedingly
interesting that many of the objects otherwise similarly drawn
are reversed in position as represented on the maps. Note for
example the direction in which the portraits of the world navi-
gators are made to face, and that the ships similarly placed are
made to sail in opposite directions.
Record is made of the difficulties encountered by Hudson in
his effort to make the north-east passage to China, failing which he
19
turned his prow to westward and entered the river thereafter to
bear his name. Hondius makes corrections on the east coast of
Greenland of errors which in part were attributable to Mercator
as set down in his map of 1569, and brings into prominence the
results of the explorations of Drake along the southwest coast of
South America. In the maps of Mercator and Ortelius, that coast
was made to turn toward the northwest instead of toward the
northeast, as was correctly demonstrated by Drake.
He claimed as an especial merit of his map that he was the first
to represent the currents of the ocean, and the winds which blow
constantly in one direction through certain seasons of the year.
These points are made conspicuous. On sheet 18 he says that "for
adornment and entertainment" he has represented the various
animals which are useful to man. There are many large pictures
on the map including the Fall of Man, the Giving of the Law on
Mount Sinai, Noah and his children and grandchildren, all of
which he thought to have geographical interest.
REFERENCES
E. L. STEVENSON and JOSEPH FISCHER: Map of the World by Jodocus Hondius.
OTHER Maps of the PERIOD OF IMPORTANCE:
See No. 14.
20
Key to Location of Maps
Number on Chronological Number
Map
in this Pamphlet
Location
I
4
EXHIBITION ROOM, first floor
II
14
III
15
IV
5
V
8
VI
7
VII
IO
VIII
3
IX
13
X
9
XI
12
XII
I
XIII
II
XIV
6
XV
2
North Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM
West Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM
West Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM ·
South Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM
South Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM
South Wall
COUNCIL ROOM, off Exhibition Room
North Wall
COUNCIL ROOM
North Side
EXHIBITION ROOM
South Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM
South Wall
EXHIBITION ROOM
East Wall
HALL, second floor
Head of Stairs
HALL, second floor
South Wall
READING ROOM, second floor
South Wall
MAP ROOM, third floor
West Wall
1
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