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Description found in Archives
Place of creation
No place, unknown, or undetermined
Scope and content
The famous Borgian world map, extant in the Biblioteca Vaticana, is engraved on two copper plates riveted together to form a circle 63 cm in diameter.Nothing is known about its origin except that it was purchased in Portugal by Cardinal Stefano Borgia in 1794. Like other medieval cartographic specimens, the Borgia map has a limited geographical interest; and like other maps from this era, it is a treasure trove of information regarding the historical significance of all areas of the known world. One of the attractions of the map are the myriad of miniature drawings. An elk or moose appears in Europe from behind some trees, with the tines on the opposing and upper edges of its antlers. Also there is a polar bear emerging from an igloo in Norway, domesticated reindeer, foxes and wolves to be found. Culturally, towns are represented by castellated symbols, a variety of ship-types can be seen in the circumfluent ocean, the Magi of the Gospel story is included and even the Mongolian invasion is illustrated. Legends abound everywhere there is room or no graphic adornment. Surprisingly, unlike many other maps with this degree of illustration, little or no emphasis is given to Jerusalem, i.e. pictorially or through orientation, thus indication of a more sectarian, vice religious, origin and purpose.
Conditions of access
Original can be viewed in the presence o
f an early cartographic archivist. Microfiche version is open.
Credit Library and Archives Canada.
Availability of other formats note
Varying form of title
World - Maps - Early works to 1600 .
Other system control no.
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