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Antique Ptolemaic Map of Ceylon or nowadays Sri Lanka

About the Item

Antique map titled 'Tab XII. Asiae Taprobanam'. Ptolemaic map of Sri Lanka. Ptolemy drew on the accounts of travelers and sailors and though the information was secondhand and often inaccurate it represented the most advanced account of the world's geography at that time. This map depicts the island with the typical misconceptions of Ptolemy with the island straddling the Equator and nearly divided by a ridge of mountains. A small part of India is incorrectly shown in the northeast corner of the map. The stipple engraved sea is filled with an oriental ship and two great sea monsters. The handsome map is further embellished with a strapwork title cartouche. Published by G. Mercator, circa 1730. While perhaps most famous for his maps of the modern World and the first to use the name "Atlas" to describe a book of maps, one of Mercator's life works was a corrected and improved edition of maps based upon the work of Claudius Ptolemy.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 19.3 in (49 cm)Width: 22.92 in (58.2 cm)Depth: 0.02 in (0.5 mm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    c.1730
  • Condition:
    General age-related toning. Original folding line. Couple very tiny holes, also affecting image. Minor wear and soiling. Blank verso. Please study image carefully.
  • Seller Location:
    Langweer, NL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BG-135581stDibs: LU3054336087002

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