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This sheet from Bordone's Isolario features two maps on opposite sides, each depicting islands of the Aegean Sea. Bordone’s Isolario was a significant cartographic work of the Renaissance, offering detailed visual representations and descriptions of Mediterranean islands that were essential for navigation, trade, and cultural understanding during this period. The maps on this sheet capture the volcanic landscapes and unique features of Nisyros and Giali on one side, and the enigmatic island of Caloiero on the reverse.
The first map presents the islands of Nisyros, labeled as "Nisaro," and Giali, identified as "Chirana," positioned within an eight-pointed compass rose, which emphasizes their navigational significance. Dominating the center of Nisyros is a large volcano, a key geographic and symbolic feature of the island, reflecting its long-standing association with volcanic activity. Near the volcano, the map depicts what appears to be a geyser or hot spring, indicating the geothermal nature of the region. This highlights Nisyros's unique volcanic landscape, known since antiquity for its hot springs and geological formations. The towns of Mandraki and Polikastro are marked, emphasizing Nisyros’s historical settlements and strategic locations. Giali, smaller and situated nearby, is noted for its pumice quarries, which were important for building materials in the ancient world. Together, these islands are represented not just as landmasses, but as active, living entities shaped by geological forces.
On the reverse side, Bordone illustrates the mysterious island of Caloiero, whose identity remains uncertain. The map is sparse, depicting only a small church—likely representing a monastery—alongside a crane equipped with a weight and pulley system. This device suggests the island's rocky and steep coastal terrain, necessitating mechanical assistance to lift boats and cargo. The minimalistic depiction of Caloiero underscores its isolation and the possible challenges faced by visitors or residents, highlighting a practical adaptation to the island’s rugged environment. The island’s exact identity is debated; it may correspond to the uninhabited rocky islet of Kalogeroi, located in the straits between Andros and Tinos, or it could be Kandelioussa, situated off the coast of Nisyros. The association with a monastery hints at a past religious presence, common among remote islands serving as retreats or places of solitary worship.
Benedetto Bordone (1460-1531) was a polymath who was born in Padua and worked in Venice. He was an illuminator, engraver, miniaturist, editor, and geographer. It is possible he made the first globe in Italy. His most famous work is the Isolario, or Book of Islands, which included many of the earliest printed maps of islands in the New World.
Bordone, a prominent Venetian manuscript editor, miniaturist, and cartographer, was born in Padua, a city that was then part of the Republic of Venice. Although his exact date of birth remains unknown, historical records indicate that his parents married in Padua in 1442, and he himself was married in 1480. Bordone's contributions to the field of cartography, particularly through his seminal work, Isolario, have cemented his legacy as a pivotal figure in the Renaissance cartographic tradition.
Bordone's most renowned work, Isolario (The Book of Islands), printed in Venice in 1528, is a comprehensive compilation that describes all the known islands of the world. The book offers detailed accounts of each island's folklore, myths, cultures, climates, geographical situations, and historical narratives. It stands as a testament to the popularity of the isolario genre in 15th and 16th century Italy and serves as an illustrated guide for sailors, incorporating the era's latest transatlantic discoveries.
One of the notable features of Isolario is an oval depiction of the world, a map type invented by Bordone. This innovation was later formalized into the equal-area elliptical Mollweide projection three centuries afterward. Bordone's map portrays a distorted view of the New World, showing only the northern regions of South America and depicting North America as a large island labeled Terra del Laboratore (Land of the Worker), a likely reference to the region's active slave trade during that period, which also influenced the name Labrador.
The book also contains the earliest known printed account of Francisco Pizarro's conquest of Peru, making it a significant historical document. Among the numerous woodcut maps included in Isolario, twelve are dedicated to the Americas. These maps feature a plan of "Temistitan" (Tenochtitlan, modern Mexico City) before its destruction by Hernán Cortés, and a map of Ciampagu, the earliest known European-printed map of Japan depicted as an island.
Benedetto Bordone's familial connections are also of interest; he is reputed to have been the father of Julius Caesar Scaliger, a noted classical scholar, and the grandfather of Joseph Justus Scaliger, who is recognized as the founder of the science of historical chronology. The original maps from Bordone's Isolario are highly valued today for their historical significance and intricate craftsmanship. Through his work, Bordone has left an indelible mark on the history of cartography, providing invaluable insights into the geographical knowledge and cultural perceptions of his time.
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