Erythraei Sive Rubri Maris Periplus

An interesting depiction of Asia, incorporating Classical cartography with the Age of Exploration.

This beautiful copperplate engraved map shows the Indian Ocean and surrounding land masses as an engaging amalgamation of ancient writing and contemporary scholarship. Originally created by Abraham Ortelius with input from sources like Homer, Ovidius, and Ausonius, this example is a later (c. 1680) copy included in an atlas by Jan Jansson.

The image is approximately bordered by the clearly (albeit incorrectly) defined Nile River and the western part of the Pacific Ocean. Eastern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent are all mapped with some degree of accuracy, with numerous toponyms reflecting the long(er) history of European contact. Further east, the geography becomes more speculative and shows far fewer toponyms. Insets in the upper corners show the theoretical route of Hanno’s exploration along the West African coast (Annonis Periplus, left) and a speculative view of an Arctic landmass (Hyperborei, right).