This beautiful depiction of the Old World from Muenster’s Cosmographie is a wood block print. In the cartouche is a list of placenames in their various forms, both ancient and contemporary with the map. North is situated at the right of this wood block print of the Holy Land. Item M1602: Terra Sancta XXIII Nova Tabula. This specimen is the thirteenth state, from a Latin edition of Muenster’s Cosmography. This map also contributed to the permanency of labeling the two continents ‘America’, as it was reissued numerous times for over sixty years. Exploration had been more focused on South America at the time this map was first issued, which helps account for the inaccurate shape of the North American continent as seen here. Mare Pacificum appears for the first time on a printed map, with a depiction of Magellan’s ship in it. The Yucatan is shown as an island, and Japan (Zipangri) is located not very far off the west coast of North America.

įirst appearing in 1540, this wood block print is the first map of much significance dedicated to the Western Hemisphere, clearly showing it as a separate land mass, with continuity between the northern and southern continents. Condition reports are available by email or phone. Stone Gallery 16th Century Maps STONE GALLERY J.N.

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