Veteris et Novae Britanniae Descriptio

An appealing hand-colored map of the British Isles published in 1711.

This delightful little map of the British Isles shows an interesting mix of the ancient and contemporary. Latin words for various regions and barbarian tribes reflect the period of Roman occupation, while cities like London, Antwerp and Cork are identified using their ‘modern’ names.

Decorative elements include a compass rose, a garland around the inset map of the Orkney Islands, and two winged figures above the distances scales. The title cartouche includes a somewhat clumsy representation of ‘Britannia’, a seated Oriental figure, and the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.

The map was engraved by John Senex and published in a London edition of Philip Cluver’s Introductio in Universam Geographicam. This popular atlas appeared in over 45 editions across a 100+ publication period, with the first volumes containing maps issued in the early 1640’s.