Striking example of this set of 3 maps on a single sheet from Benedetto Bordone's Isolario, first published in 1528.
The sheet includes three rare maps of Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, focusing on Kinaros (Κίναρος), Levitha (Λέβιθα), Mykonos (Μύκονος), and Icaria (Ikaria, Ικαρία).
Recto: Maps of Mykonos and Kinaros-Levitha
-
Upper Map: Mykonos (Myconos) The upper map on the recto side displays Mykonos (Μύκονος), a well-known island in the Cyclades. Bordone labels several locations, showing harbors and settlements, including the familiar, white-washed architecture symbolized by red-roofed buildings. Saint George, Saint Stephen, and Saint Thomas churches are marked, reflecting the religious landmarks of the island.
Mykonos had a long-standing history of being a significant maritime hub during Bordone's time, as it played an essential role in the sea trade and shipping routes through the Aegean.
-
Lower Map: Kinaros and Levitha The lower map on the recto side presents the small and lesser-known islands of Kinaros (Κίναρος) and Levitha (Λέβιθα), located west of Mykonos. These islands were often important as stopover points for sailors navigating through the central Aegean Sea. Though sparsely inhabited, these islands were strategically significant for maritime navigation, as evidenced by their inclusion in Bordone’s Isolario.
The maps provide simple geographical markers, denoting key features like mountains, coastlines, and possible anchorages, essential for Renaissance sailors who depended on detailed descriptions for safe navigation.
Verso: Map of Icaria (Ikaria)
On the verso side, we find the map of Icaria (Ikaria, Ικαρία), one of the larger islands in the Aegean. The island is shown with rolling hills, fortified settlements, and towers, indicating its importance and strategic location in the region. During Bordone’s time, Icaria had already seen multiple layers of historical development, including its role as part of the Byzantine Empire and later Venetian and Genoese interests.
Icaria's mountainous terrain and isolated position made it a haven for mariners and traders alike, especially given its proximity to major Aegean shipping routes. The map also shows Formelli and Stampodia, which refer to specific locations on the island and its surrounding areas.
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.