"[2 Volumes] Notitia Orbis Antiqui, sive Geographia Plenior...", Cellarius, Christophorus

This two volume set is Cellarius’ atlas of ancient geography. Together they contain 31 of the 33 issued maps and focus on ancient Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. The first volume contains the attractive world map entitled Veteris Orbis Climata ex Strabone, which divided the ancient world into seven climatic zones. The map is nicely composed in a semi-circular projection with a ribbon banner-style title and eight wind heads. At top is a wonderful vignette of the mythological wind god Aeolus whose floating island prison constrained the winds with one particularly beastly example of the north wind about to be unleashed. Surrounding the map are wind heads representing; Eurus, the east wind, Zephyrus, the west wind, Notus, the southern wind, Africus, which blows from Africa, Coecia, the northeast wind and Corus, the northwest wind.

Volume I consists of two parts (63 pp. and 1269 pp. respectively) and contains 18 out of the 20 issued maps focused on ancient Europe. Volume II appears to be complete and also consists of two parts (889 pp. and 254 pp. respectively), containing 13 maps featuring Asia and Africa. Each of the maps measures approximately 12 x 8". Octavo, rebound in contemporary vellum.

Christoph Cellarius was a German classics scholar and is noted for popularizing the Ancient-Medieval-Modern division of history. His atlases were enormously popular and were issued in various editions until the early 19th century.

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Condition: B

Text and maps are in good to satisfactory condition with moderate to heavy toning and foxing. The map of Palestine also has a 1" binding tear at left. Covers and spine are bumped and rubbed. The volumes have new title labels and a chip in the spine of volume 2 has been professionally replaced.