Moscoviae seu Russiae Magnae Generalis Tabula…

A striking view of the heart of the Russian Empire in the late 17th century.

This beautiful antique map of Muscovy was published in Amsterdam around 1690 by Nicholas Visscher. The central Russian territory, outlined in yellow, is surrounded by its 17th-century imperial competitors- the Kingdom of Sweden (orange), the Ottoman Empire (pink), and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (green). Further east, past the Volga River, most of Siberia had already been subjugated. Toponyms identify a fascinating variety of historic sites, commercial hubs, military outposts, ecclesiastical facilities, and more. In the far north, Nova Zembla’s coastline remains incomplete, accompanied by two annotations that reference explorations from the prior century

. A number of scattered vignettes add decorative elements, as well as contemporary details. Bears and elk reflect the importance of the fur trade; travel by sled (especially over frozen rivers) was one of the most efficient means of travel, and there even used to be big cats on the shores of the Caspian Sea! A variety of sailing ships throughout that body of water and the Black Sea to the west highlight the commercial importance. The most eye-catching embellishment, the title cartouche, features several putti carrying aloft sheaves of wheat and pelts of fur (further signs of economic vitality/agricultural dependence). An open doorway possibly symbolizes Russia’s position as the ‘Gateway’ to Asia.