|
|
Sebastian Munster: Tabula novarum insularum, quas Diversis respectibus Occidentales & Indianas uocant. [1st Map of the continent of America]
Title: Tabula novarum insularum, quas Diversis respectibus Occidentales & Indianas uocant. [1st Map of the continent of America] Map Maker: Sebastian Munster
Description: Early edition of Munster's map of America, the earliest map to show all of North and South America in a true continental form. The first edition of Munster's map appeared in his Geographia, first published in 1540. However, it was the map's inclusion in the 1544 edition of Munster's Cosmographia that forever caused America to be the name of the New World, perpetuating Waldseemuller's choice of names in a popular and widely disseminated work. Munster's map is the earliest map of all of America and the first to name the Pacific Ocean (Mare Pacificum). The depiction of North America is dominated by one of the most dramatic geographic misconceptions to be found on early maps—the so-called Sea of Verrazzano. The Pacific cuts deeply intov into North America so that the part of the coastline at this point is a narrow isthmus between two oceans. This was the result of Verrazzano mistaking the waters to the west of the Outer Banks, the long barrier islands along North Carolina as the Pacific. The division of the New World between Spain and Portugal Spain and Portugal is recognized on the map by the Castille and Leon flag planted in Puerto Rico, here called Sciana. The map includes a host of firsts, too many to include in this description. Includes a very early appearance of the Straits of Magellan, along with his ship Victoria in the Pacific. Earliest appearance of Japan on a map, predating European contact and based solely legends, such as Marco Polo. The Yucatan Peninsula is shown as an Island. Lake Temistan empties into the Caribbean. The map depicts cannibals in South America and names Florida. The present example is a Latin text edition of Burden's State 5, Including the words "Die Nuw Welt" in the bottom of South America (re-aligned for the first time this edition) and including Temistan spelled "Temistitan" (pre-dating the temporary removal of the name from the map between 1554 and 1572, when it reappears with its proper spelling of Temistan) and pre-dating the addition of the word "ova" (1558) and "Nova" (1561) before "Insula Atlantica quam . . " in South America. References: Schwartz/Ehrenberg, pp. 43, 45, 50; Cortazzi, H. Isles of Gold, pl. 12; Tooley, R.V. Maps and Mapmakers, p. 112, pl. 80; Burden 12.
Related Categories:
|
||||||||||
