"[Title on Verso] Tabula X Asiae...", Ptolemy/Fries

Claudius Ptolemy was a mathematician, astronomer and geographer who worked in Alexandria, then a part of the Roman Empire, in the 2nd century AD. One of the most learned and influential men of his time, his theories dominated both astronomy and geography for nearly 1500 years. His writings were kept alive by Arabic scholars during the Middle Ages and reemerged in Europe during the Renaissance. The birth of printing led to wide dissemination of his great works on astronomy and geography. There were a number of editions of his Geographia beginning in 1477. These early editions contained maps based on his original writings, known as Ptolemaic maps. As geographic knowledge increased with the explorations of Columbus, Magellan, Cabot and others, maps of the New World were added, and maps of the Old World were revised. Ptolemy's Geographia continued to be revised and published by some of the most important cartographers including Martin Waldseemuller, Sebastian Munster, Giacomo Gastaldi, Jodocus Hondius, and Gerard Mercator (whose last edition was published in 1730).

A nice example of this early and desirable Ptolemaic map of India, which is depicted in a distorted form with a severely truncated peninsula. The map presents the mountains, rivers, and places compiled by the Alexandrian geographer, which though crude and confusing, is a remarkable view of the region between the deltas of the Indus and Ganges rivers, both of which are shown. The title is on the verso along with Latin text within an architectural woodcut illustration attributed to Hans Holbein of Basel. The map was published in Lyon by Melchior and Gaspar Treschsel, with text edited by Michael Villanovus, better known as Servetus, who was burned at the stake in 1553 for heresy. Calvin had many copies of the 1535 atlas confiscated and burned with Servetus; thus the maps are quite scarce.

References: Mickwitz & Miekkavaara #209-43.

Condition: B

There are a few wormtracks and holes around the centerfold and in the border at left and right, with a few small areas of image loss replaced in facsimile. The centerfold is partially reinforced with masking tape, with light tape stains visible at bottom. A light dampstain enters map image at bottom right.