This map summarizes Ptolemaic cartography of East Asia. It depicts the ancient region of Scythia, a vague area east of Europe, first noted by Herodotus. It was the eighth in a sequence of 12 maps of Asia as described by the 2nd century Egyptian cartographer, Claudius Ptolemy. Relief shown pictorially. Semi-trapezoidal. Latitudinal and longitudinal lines along margins; linear parallels indicated at sides. Title at top. Imprint taken from atlas. Shows topography, vegetation, waterways. Descriptive text in decorative cartouches. Ornamental borders with pictorial vignettes of figures, including half-human monsters. Appears in Münster's edition of Ptolemy's Geographia universalis, Basel: Henri Petri, 1540-1552.
Creator:
Münster, Sebastian, 1489-1552 and Petri, Heinrich, 1508-1579
Images from the The Renaissance Exploration Collection courtesy Stanford University Libraries. This item is in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use. If you have questions, please contact the David Rumsey Map Center at rumseymapcenter@stanford.edu.
Rights Holder:
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