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THE LEARDO MAP OF THE WORLD 1452 OR 1453
THE LEARDO MAP OF THE WORLD 1452 OR 1453
In the Collections of the American Geographical Society BY JOHN KIRTLAND WRIGHT, Ph.D. Librarian, American Geographical Society WITH A NOTE ON THE REPRODUCTION OF THE MAP BY A. B. HOEN AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY BROADWAY AT 156TH STREET NEW YORK 1928 COPYRIGHT, 1928 BY THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK RUMFORD PRESS CONCORD, N. H....
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The Calendar and the Inscription Beneath It
The Calendar and the Inscription Beneath It
The calendars encircling Leardo’s three maps constitute exceptional additions. Of these calendars, the one on the Society’s map is the most interesting. The inscription in the panel below the circles, in part an explanation of the calendar, is somewhat awkwardly phrased in the Venetian dialect of the fifteenth century, but, although it lacks the beginning of each line, the meaning is fairly clear, especially when certain of the missing lines are reconstructed from the corresponding inscription o
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The Map Disk
The Map Disk
It should be noted first that east is at the top of the map and Jerusalem at the center; hence the long axis of the Mediterranean runs vertically up the southern half of the disk. With the exception of the Red Sea, appropriately colored, the seas are uniformly blue. The lands are left the natural color of the bleached parchment except for a fiery red region in the far south bearing the legend: “Desert uninhabited because of heat,” and a dreary brown waste in the far north marked: “Desert uninhab
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Sources of Leardo’s Geography
Sources of Leardo’s Geography
Briefly stated, the sources of Leardo’s geography are to be sought in the information accumulated by the Greeks and Romans, as added to and altered during the early Middle Ages by the Church Fathers on the basis of the interpretation of the Bible and as later augmented by the work of medieval travelers, merchants, and sailors. At a very early period the Greeks developed the idea (borrowed, perhaps, from the Babylonians [16] ) that the earth is a flat disk surrounded by the Ocean Stream. This con
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The Known World According to Leardo
The Known World According to Leardo
The numbers in parentheses correspond to the reference numbers in the Appendix (pp. 32 -60) and on the key maps at the end of the book. In the Appendix (pp. 31 -67) I have tried to identify as many as possible of the names and other features shown on the Leardo map with existing places, or at least with corresponding features on other maps of the period. Here I propose to conduct the reader on a rapid sight-seeing tour around the map, pointing out some of the most interesting details only. In th
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NOTES
NOTES
Santarem, Vol. 3, p. 399, and Berchet, op. cit. , p. 6, cite two mid-eighteenth century MSS in the Library of St. Mark’s, Venice, which contain entries relating to a map by Giovanni Leardo dated 1447. One of these MS is that of the Doge Marco Foscarini (Codex ital., XI, 123, p. 42), the other that of a contemporary scholar, Giovanni degli Agostini (Codex ital., VII, 291, p. 542; this and the preceding reference were furnished to the present writer by the Chief Librarian of the Library of St. Mar
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Explanation
Explanation
The following commentary is divided into sections numbered with Roman numerals corresponding to the Roman numerals on the general key map ( Fig. 4 , at end of book). Each item is given an Arabic numeral which corresponds to the Arabic numerals on the detailed key maps (Figs. 5 -10, at end of book). For each feature which bears a place name and for each longer legend on the Leardo map the transcription is given below in italic. Many of these transcriptions, particularly of names written on edific
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I. Northern Asia
I. Northern Asia
1 M o . alani : Alani Montes in Scythia intra Imaum Montem, NE of Caspian Sea, Ptol. (VI, 14: 3 (FA 22));=Mugodzhar hills in the Kirghiz steppes, a southern continuation of the Ural Mountains (PW, i, 1281). 2 M o . ripei : Rhipaei Montes, in which the Don rises, between Sea of Azof and Baltic, Ptol. (III, 5:15 (FA 17)). See also 596 and PW, 2nd ser., i, 902-904. 3 M o . norosus : Norossus Mons, NE of Caspian Sea, Ptol. (VI, 14:5 (FA 22)). 4 M o . gaspio : Caspii Montes, between Greater Armenia a
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II. Far Eastern Asia
II. Far Eastern Asia
The surface of the map northwest of the Terrestrial Paradise has been rubbed in such a way that many of the names are illegible. The mountain system here corresponds essentially with that of CE; Ptolemaic names have been given to mountains and rivers. 42 sa ... s (?):=? 43 M o . osmire (?): Asmiraei Montes in Serica, Ptol. (VI, 16: 2 (FA23));=?eastern end of T‘ien Shan with the small low hill chains to the south (PW, ii, 1702). 44 M o . Tagurus : Tagurus Mons in Serica (Θάγουρον ὄρος), Ptol., l.
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III. India
III. India
76 M o . meandrus : Maeandrus Mons in Farther India, Ptol. (VII, 2:8 (FA26));=?Mahudaung mountains in Upper Burma (Gerini, 51, 832). No corresponding mountain shown on either CA or CE. The river system is more elaborate than, although somewhat analogous in its general pattern to, that of CA and CE. The Indus and its branches seem to be lacking on the Catalan maps. I am unable to trace the origin of several of the river names. 77 f. priolada :=? 78 f. tindarus :=? 79 f. masa | rus :=? 80 f. sumas
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IV. Central Asia
IV. Central Asia
116 M o . caropanus : Paropanisus Mons, Ptol. (VI, 11:5, etc. (FA25));=Hindu Kush (Hallb., 393). See also 123 . 117 f. Ixartes : Jaxartis Fl., Ptol. (VI, 12:1, etc. (FA22)); shown but not named on CE; Flum d’Organçi, CA; see Hallb., 280-281. On ancient and medieval knowledge of the Aral Sea, into which the Jaxartes flows, see W. Barthold, Aral, in Encycl. of Islam, Vol. 1, Leiden and London, 1913, pp. 419-420. 118 f. Oxius : Oxus Fl., Ptol. (VI, 9:1, etc. (FA22)); ?Flum Amo, CA; not shown on CE;
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V. Persia
V. Persia
138 , 139 Unnamed lake and river. On CA and CE the river rises in two lakes, the eastern and western being named on CA Mar Dargis (=Lake Van) and Mar de Marga (=Lake Urmia) respectively (Hallb., 43-44, 337-338). On Piz. the river is Flum Chexi; if Chexi is Khuzistan (see 164 ) the river possibly represents the Karun. 140 Sarmania | dixerta : Carmania Deserta, Ptol. (VI, 6(FA20));=interior of the modern Kerman. See also 153 . 141 dise.n (?): Deystam, CA;=?Dehistan, a district of Mazanderan (Hallb
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VI. Mesopotamia and Syria
VI. Mesopotamia and Syria
165-168 The river system is more accurately drawn than on CA and CE, inasmuch as the Euphrates and Tigris join before reaching the Persian Gulf. On CA they enter the Gulf separately; on CE the Euphrates swings around into Egypt, entering the Nile just above Babilonia (Cairo). All three maps show a connection between the Euphrates and Mediterranean through the Orontes, but only Leardo makes the Jordan communicate with the Euphrates. On CA and CD an island, Zizera (see also 9 ), on CD said to be t
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VII. Arabia
VII. Arabia
193 M o . sinai . 194 M o . felizis arabie : Montana Arabiae Felicis, which, according to Ptol. (V, 17: 3; V, 19: 1 (FA19)), divides Arabia Petraea and Arabia Deserta on the north from Arabia Felix on the south;=Ash-Shera’ mountains (see Alois Musil, The Northern Heǧâz, New York, 1926, 255; the same, Arabia Deserta, New York, 1927, 502-503). 195 M o . prionous : Prionotus Mons on S coast of Arabia, Ptol. (VI, 7:10 (FA21));=? 196 bazar : Bassara, CA;=Basra. 197 golfta | ta : Golfaca, CA; Golfatha
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VIII. Asia Minor
VIII. Asia Minor
214 ff. rosso : Odoric of Pordenone, Palatine version (Yule, Cath., ii, 102, n. 4); Pegalotti, 7 (ibid., iii, 164);=“the tributary of the Araxes, the Kizil Chai which waters Khoi” (Cordier, in the same, iii, 164, n. 1). 215 Tr... (?): Troia;=Troy. 216 saustia : Sauasto, CA;=anct. Sebastea, mod. Sivas. 217 Tabaca | san : =? 218 suilia (?): =? 219 sis : Scisia, CA;=Sis. 220 almesia : =Amasia. 221 laranda : =anct. Laranda, mod. Karaman. 222 anguri (?): =Angora. 223 aladachia : =anct. Laodicea Combu
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IX. Armenia, Caucasia, and Southeastern Russia
IX. Armenia, Caucasia, and Southeastern Russia
248 Mt. Ararat is labeled larche de noe . 249 A river connecting the Sea of Azof with the Caspian is shown on CA and CE, but without the branches reaching the Black Sea; on Piz. this river is named Flm’ Cicopo (the Cicopa of CA and other portolan maps being a north branch of the Kuban delta; Kret., Port., 646);=Kuban River (ibid.). 250 Mare de Abachu (?) (Sea of Baku): Mar de Sarra e de Bacu, CA; Mar de Sala e de Bacu, CE. 251 Illeg.: =? 252 famach | i : Siamachi, Vat. (Pullé, 9);=?Shemakha (ibi
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X. Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
X. Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
266 Ma....dicho : Mare Indicho. 267 Mare de persia. 268 M....... : Mare rosso. 269 ... Taprobana : Trapobana, CA, CE; the Taprobane of the ancient geographers was Ceylon; in the Middle Ages the name was probably applied to Sumatra (Cordier, CA, 57-58; Kret., CE, 107; for suggested identifications of places shown in Trapobana on CA see Gerini, 646-647). 270 famda | bo (?): ?Regio Femarum (for Feminarum) on island of Iana, CA, which is perhaps a reflection of Polo’s story of the Male and Female Is
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XI. Southern Africa
XI. Southern Africa
282 M o elefans : Elephas Mons on the east coast of Africa, Ptol. (IV, 7:10 (FA15));=Ras el-Fil (Vivien de St. Martin, 288). 283 Monti doue se caua m ... ro [molto oro, Leardo, 1448] (mountain where much gold is mined): Pliny (Nat. hist., VI, 189) mentions the abundance of gold in Ethiopia between Napata and the Red Sea. 284 gobari : Zobar or Gobar, Leardo, 1448;=?Zanzibar (Santarem, iii, 437). 285 uigie : ?Vuigie, in interior of Prester John’s realm, Mauro;=? 286 tobo | let (?): =? 287 scuendn
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XII. Middle and Lower Nile Region
XII. Middle and Lower Nile Region
308 M o . dimas : Mons dimas, Mauro;=? 309 M o . libuzio : Montes Libyci, Ptol. (IV, 5: 19 (FA14));=escarpment overlooking Nile Valley on W (PW, xiii, 148). 310 M o . pilazi : Mons Pollaza, Mauro; ?Pylaei Montes in Ethiopia, Ptol. (IV, 7: 26 (FA15));=? 311 M o . arazas : Arangas Mons, in Lybia Interior, Ptol. (IV, 6: 12 (FA15));=? 312 f. nillo : The course of the Nile and its tributaries corresponds essentially with that of CE (Kret., CE, 89-91; see also 338 ). 313 f. stapus : Astapus Fl. in Eth
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XIII. Upper Nile Region and West Africa
XIII. Upper Nile Region and West Africa
333 M o . Bardtion (?): Bardetus Mons in Ethiopia Interior, Ptol. (IV, 8: 6 (FA15)). 334 M o . Lune docho | nasitur nillo (Mountains of the Moon from which the Nile rises): According to a long legend on CE these mountains are called “Gibel Camar by the Saracens, which means Mountains of the Moon in our tongue”; they are so high that although they lie on the equator both poles may be seen from them. The famous Mountains of the Moon were first mentioned by Ptolemy (IV, 8: 3); see also Kret., CE. 9
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XIV. North Africa
XIV. North Africa
To the mountain range of North Africa, a stock feature on medieval maps, Leardo adds at random garbled Ptolemaic names. 385 M o . Jouis : Dios vel Jovis Mons in Province of Africa (Tunisia), Ptol. (IV, 3: 18 (FA13)), badly out of place;=?Jebel Zaghwan, SW of Tunis (Müller, i, 635). 386 M o . galcas : Zalacus Mons in Mauretania Caesariensis (Algeria), Ptol. (IV, 2, 14 (FA12));=a part of the Lesser Atlas SW of Algiers (see Müller, i, 601). 387 M o . usalatu | s : Usalaetus Mons in Province of Afri
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XV. Black and Mediterranean Seas
XV. Black and Mediterranean Seas
431 [Mare] mauro (?): Unnamed on CA and CE;=Black Sea. 432 [Mare] de adriano : =Adriatic Sea. 433 Mare Me [diterr] ano . 434 Mare de Leone : =Gulf of Lions. 435 Cip [ro]: =Cyprus. 436 rodo : =Rhodes. 437 sio : =Chios (Kret., Port., 660). 438 arcipellago . 439 negropo [nte]: =Euboea. 440 y a de chrete (?): =Crete. 441 crsicha . 442 sardignia . 443 minoricha : =Minorca. 444 Maioricha : =Majorca. 445 Illeg....
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XVI. Southwestern Europe
XVI. Southwestern Europe
446 The Guadalquivir: similar course on CA and CE. 447 f. lizer : =Loire. 448 f. stequana : =Seine. 449 f. rode | nus : =Rhône. 450 gr ... (?): =Granada. 451 Illeg. 452 span ... (?): =Spain. 453 , 454 Illeg. 455 bart. | nia : =Brittany. 456 fr ... | a : =France. 457 Illeg. 458 . ugn ... (?): =?Avignon. 459 proui | .. (?): =?Provence. 460 sibilia (?): =Seville. 461 lisbo | na . 462 galizia . 463 astora : =Asturias. 464 ganti | et : =? 465 malica : =Malaga. 466 sarauignia : =Salobrena (Kret., Port
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XVII. Atlantic Ocean and Islands
XVII. Atlantic Ocean and Islands
482 Mare de spagnia. 483 Illeg.;=Canary Islands. 484 Ingilterra. 485 Schoz. (?): Scotia;=Scotland....
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XVIII. Central Europe
XVIII. Central Europe
486 The Alps run due north from northern Italy. 487 f. renus : =Rhine. 488 The Elbe, unnamed (see, however, 513 ); similar course on CE, CA, Bianco, and other maps. 489 f. prexant : =? 490 f. sudum r (?): Sudumera, CA;=river of Sandomir, or Vistula (Hamy, 402). 491 lacus senire (?): ?Lacus Alech, CD; Lacus Nerja, CA;=?Bay of Putzig (Hamy, 400). 492 -497 All illeg. 498 polana : Polonia, CA;=Poland. 499 panon | ia : =?anct. Pannonia. 500 carcou | ia (?): Cracouja, CA;=Cracow. 501 podol | .a : =Pod
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XIX. Italy
XIX. Italy
530 f. po . 531 Illeg.: =?Genoa. 532 Illeg.: =?Florence. 533 Illeg.: =?Rome. 534 Illeg.: =?Naples. 535 Illeg.: Vignette represents St. Mark’s and the Campanile;=Venice. 536 . . g . . (?): =?Reggio di Calabria. 537 cotron : =Cotrone (Kret., Port., 618). 538 taranto . 539 o [t] ranto . 540 brandizo : =Brindisi. 541 manfredonia . 542 guasto : =Vasto (ibid., 621). 543 ortona . 544 ancona . 545 fano . 546 pexara : =Pesaro. 547 rimano : =Rimini. 548 zexen o : =Cesenatico (ibid., 623). 549 rauena : =Ra
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XX. Southeastern Europe
XX. Southeastern Europe
The river system corresponds generally with that of CA and CE. 552 f. donoia : =Danube. 553 f. morana : =Morava. 554 f. drina : =Drin. 555 f. moree (?): =?Moldau. 556 , 557 , 558 : Three unnamed islands in the Danube; on CA these are named: Insula de Jaurim, Insula Buda, Insula de Sermona(?). 559 bu . . . (?): =?Buda. 560 m . . l . . (?): =? 561 ongar | ia : =Hungary. 562 serui | a : =Serbia. 563 bosn | a (?): =Bosnia. 564 ulachia : =Wallachia. 565 bulga | ria . 566 dalmazi . 567 albania . 568 m
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XXI. Baltic Sea
XXI. Baltic Sea
577 Mar de alemani : =Baltic Sea. 578 y a (?) gotlandia : =Gottland. 579 Illeg....
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XXII. Scandinavia
XXII. Scandinavia
580 The mountain system is a simplification of that shown on CE. 581 f. netur : Flū Nectir, CE; Fl. Vectur, CD;=Motala, outlet of Lake Vettern (Hamy, 387). 582 f. turontes : Turuntus Fl. in Sarmatia, Ptol. (III, 5:2 (FA9));=Dvina (Müller, i, 412). 583 in q [uesta par] te si caualca su zervi | tori et montoni et su queli fano le | loro bataie (in this region they ride on deer, bulls, and sheep, and on these they make their battles): Compare legend on CE (Kret., CE, 214). 584 In questa parte sta z
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XXIII. Eastern Europe
XXIII. Eastern Europe
596 M o . ripei : Dupl. of 2 . 597 Leardo’s unnamed river entering E extremity of Baltic is called Flum Nu on CD; Flum de Mi, CE;=Volkhof and Neva, confused (Hamy, 390). 598 f. axiazes : Axiaces Fl. of Sarmatia Europae, Ptol. (III, 5:18 (FA9)). 599 f. turllo : Kretschmer (Port., 642) records Flumen Turle only on an anonymous fifteenth century map in the Museum für Meereskunde, Berlin (ibid., pp. 133-135);=Dniester (ibid., 642). 600 zimachia Inferior : ?corruption of Sarmatia, Ptol. (passim (FA9)
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XXIV. Far North
XXIV. Far North
619 DIXERTO DEXABITADO PER FREDO (desert uninhabited because of cold): See 305 ....
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LIST OF REFERENCES
LIST OF REFERENCES
The publications listed here are those to which frequent reference only is made in the Notes and Appendix. The abbreviations there employed precede each reference. Besnier: Maurice Besnier, Lexique de géographie ancienne , Paris, 1914. Buchon and Tastu: J. A. C. Buchon and J. Tastu, Notice d’un atlas en langue catalane, manuscrit de l’an 1375, conservé parmi les manuscrits de la Bibliothèque Royale sous le N o 6816, fonds ancien, in-folio maximo , in Notices et extraits de manuscrits de la Bibli
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THE REPRODUCTION OF THE LEARDO MAP
THE REPRODUCTION OF THE LEARDO MAP
By A. B. Hoen A. Hoen & Company, Baltimore, Md. [One of the first things usually asked in regard to the reproduction or facsimile of an old map is: “How was it made?” To answer this question and to give some idea of the difficult technical problems involved, Mr. Hoen, under whose direction the Society’s reproduction of the Leardo Map was made, has been kind enough to furnish the following note.—J. K. W.] The Leardo Map is painted on parchment. Some of the colors have faded, and others he
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KEY MAPS
KEY MAPS
Fig. 4 —General key map. The numbers correspond to those of the main center heads in the commentary on pp. 32-60. Fig. 5 —Detailed key map: northeastern section. The numbers in this and in Figs. 6-9 correspond to the Arabic numbers on pp. 32-60. Fig. 6 —Detailed key map: east-central section. Fig. 7 —Detailed key map: southeastern section. Fig. 8 —Detailed key map: northwestern section. Fig. 9 —Detailed key map: west-central section. Fig. 10 —Detailed key map: southwestern section....
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