Important 16th Century Map of the Holy Land
Decorative example of Christian Van Adrichom's original and quite monumental plan of the Holy Land, which first appeared in his Theatrum Terrae Sanctae et biblicarum historiarum cum tabulis geographicis aere expressis.... in Cologne in 1593.
Van Adrichom's map of the Theatrum Terrae Sanctae, oriented to the east, shows the entirety of the Holy Land divided into 12 Tribes on both sides of the Jordan, along with the shore line running from Sidon to Alexandria. The River Cison (Kishon of today) is shown as connecting the Lake of Tiberias with the Mediterranean Sea. There are many nonexistent rivers shown: a river connecting Jerusalem with the Dead Sea. In the Dead Sea four burning cities are shown: Sodoma, Gomorra, Seboim, and Adama. This map was instrumental in re-defining the depiction of the Holy Land for nearly 200 years.
Christiaan van Adrichem was ordained in 1566, and was Director of the Convent of St. Barbara in Delft, until he was expelled in the turmoil of the Reformation. His work was first published in 1590 and edited by Gerardus Bruyns, canon at Deventer; the other editions were published in 1593, 1600, 1613 and 1682. It was also translated in many languages, owing to its extraordinary popularity and influence. As Van Adrichem based his work on sources which are now lost - for example the description of Jerusalem by his brother-in-law Ysbrand Godfriedsz.- his work is still of importance for the history of Palestine and Israel. The map itself was compied by Hondius, Jansson, Visscher, Stoopendahl and others for over 100 years in various forms.