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Description

Hand drawn military survey map of the area around Veracruz, Mexico, expertly copied from the original in Sevilla from the original map in the Archivo General de Indias, drawn by Francisco de Zúñiga y Ontiveros in 1763.

Oriented with southwest at the top, the map shows a portion of the Gulf of Mexico coast, stretching from the city of Veracruz to beyond the point of Antón Lizardo. It indicates the coastal islands. Coastal features such as the point of Mocambo and the Medellín River are marked. In the lower left corner is a drawing of a ship with sails unfurled. The city of Veracruz and the San Juan de Ulúa fortress are drawn in elevation.  The key transcribes as follows, naming offshore islands.

  • A. Gallega de Tierra.
  • B. Gallega de fuera.
  • C. Ysla Blanca.
  • D. Anegada de Tierra.
  • E. Ysla Verde.
  • F. Paxaros.
  • G. Sacrificios.
  • H. Ysla Blanquilla.
  • I. Arresife de Palo.
  • J. El Rizo.
  • K. Rabia arcado.
  • L. Anegada de fuera.
  • M. Anegadilla.
  • Año de 1760.

In the 18th century, in response to the threat of a potential English attack on the city of Veracruz, a War Council convened to analyze the most suitable means to defend the city. This is illustrated by a map from the period (1763), attributed to Francisco de Zúñiga y Ontiveros.

Following England's declaration of war on Spain on January 2, 1762, and in anticipation of a possible British attack on Veracruz, a War Council was convened on August 6 of that year, under the presidency of Francisco Crespo Ortiz, the city governor. The council studied ways to block the access channels to the port, using chains and the sinking of ships. 

With this aim, a map of the coast and the bay was drawn up and presented in 1763. In the upper right corner, a cartouche with a cornucopia displays the title, date, and responsibility attribution: Bachelor Francisco de Zúñiga y Ontiveros, where it reads: "Plan of the New Veracruz, situated at a latitude of 19 degrees 10 minutes and at 278 degrees 47 minutes longitude. Meridian of Tenerife. And taken from its original by order of the Most Excellent Marquis of Cruillas, Viceroy, Governor, and Captain General of this New Spain."  Another cartouche with a cornucopia in the upper center includes an explanatory table of the points indicated on the map, in an alphabetical key (A-M), showing the offshore island names. The note in the key suggests that the map may have been drawn from a survey or earlier map from 1760.

The map shows a portion of the Gulf of Mexico coast, stretching from the city of Veracruz to beyond the point of Antón Lizardo. It indicates the coastal islands. Coastal features such as the point of Mocambo and the Medellín River are marked. In the lower left corner is a drawing of a ship with sails unfurled. The city of Veracruz and the San Juan de Ulúa fortress are drawn in elevation.  

The map would seem to be a copy of a map of the same title in the Archivo General de Indias.

Provenance:  A seal on the verso states that the map was copied from its original from the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, Spain.

Condition Description
Hand drawn map.