Adrichom's Influential Maps of Jerusalem and the Holy Land

"Theatrum Terrae Sanctae et Biblicarum Historiarum cum Tabulis Geographicis aere Expressis", Adrichom, Christian van

This atlas and history of the Holy Land is Adrichom's most important and famous work. Born in Delft, Christian Kruik van Adrichem, or Christianus Crucius Adrichomius, was a Catholic priest and theologian. Adrichom worked for thirty years on his three-part history of the Holy Land, and only succeeded in publishing the first part, Urbis Hierosolyma Depicta, during his lifetime. The remaining two parts were published posthumously by Georg Braun in 1590, with subsequent editions in 1593, 1600, 1613, 1628, and 1682. The Theatrum Terrae Sanctae contained 12 maps and plans: one of the Holy Land, nine of territories of the Tribes of Israel, one of the Exodus, and a town plan of Jerusalem.

Adrichom's stunning map of the Holy Land, Situs Terrae Promissionis, was based on numerous sources, including Peter Laicksteen and Christian Sgrooten, Tilleman Stella, Jacob Ziegler, Sebastian Munster, Gerard Mercator, Buchard of Mt. Sion, and even Josephus, Jerome and Ptolemy. This map became immediately popular with leading cartographers such as Jan Jansson and Nicholas Visscher, who used it as the basis for their own maps of the Holy Land. With north oriented to the bottom left, the map extends from the Nile delta to Sidon and is divided into the twelve tribes. There is no bend where Palestine meets Egypt, and the Kishon River erroneously connects the Sea of Galilee with the Mediterranean. The map is finely engraved with minute detail and depicts numerous biblical scenes including the Exodus, Jonah and the Whale, the wandering of the Children of Israel, and several battle scenes. Sailing ships, sea monsters, Adrichom's coat of arms, and a compass rose complete the composition.

Kenneth Nebenzahl considers Adrichom's plan of Jerusalem "the most dramatic and important of the sixteenth century." Again, Adrichom used a myriad of sources to develop his plan, including Bernhard von Breitenbach's woodcut panorama of the city, Sebastian Munster's view, the texts of pilgrims Burchard of Mt. Sion and William Wey, and the Bible and Josephus. The plan is oriented to the north with the camps of the historic city's invaders just outside the city walls, and the ancient City of David and Mt. Sion in the south. There are over 250 key locations identified and numbered, which are more fully described in Adrichom's text. One of the most important contributions of the plan is Adrichom's identification of the locations of fourteen sites of the Stations of the Cross, which are still accepted today. Adrichom's plan of Jerusalem remained the definitive layout of the city until archaeological discoveries during the nineteenth century.

Complete with 286 pp., 12 maps, title page, preface and index. Hardbound in full original vellum with manuscript writing on spine.

References: Nebenzahl (Holy Land), pp. 90-97; Laor #7-18 & 934.

Condition: B+

The maps are in good to very good condition, with light toning, minor soiling, a few tiny worm holes, and a few extraneous creases. Several of the maps are trimmed to the neatlines, as issued. <i>Situs Terrae Promissionis</i> has an old linen repair on verso along one fold that had become completely separated. The plan of Jerusalem has a 1" fold separation and two adjacent 1/2" tears. The title page has a large chip in bottom blank margin that has been repaired with old paper. The text is in very good condition with occasional light toning, a few spots of foxing, and a couple of small worm tracks in right blank margin through the center portion of the text. Covers are worn with stains and a few small chips and holes, and the hinges are starting.