North Africa – Ortelius, Abraham. (1527 – 1598).

Africae Propriae Tabula, in qua, Punica Regna Vides; Tyrios, et Agenoris Urbem.

Original hand-engraved. Antwerp, Balthasar Moretus, [1624]. Plate Size: 48.8 cm x 33.5 cm. Sheet Size: 58.1 cm x 44.5 cm. Original map. Very good condition. Slight browning evident along sheet edges. Hint of browning along centre fold also. Very minor tears to top edge and top right corner. Map orientated to the north. Latin text on reverse.

Original map dates from 1590, but this edition is from 1624.
A richly detailed map focusing on the ancient Carthaginian kingdom at the time of the Punic wars. The map covers the north African coast from Algeria to Libya, centering on Tunisia and including the islands along the coast and the southern tip of Sicily. Malta can also be seen. An inset plan shows the city and harbour of Carthage prior to its destruction. Also, an inset with text cartouches in the lower bottom of the map with extensive Latin historical descriptions and listings of place names. Villages and towns are shown as miniature views, also mountains and rivers are engraved on the map. Administrative provinces like ‘Tripolitana regio’ are listed: ancient cities such as Sabratha are identified; and the map carries many annotative captions with information from Pliny and Ptomley, Tacitus and Herodotus concerning native tribes and nations such as the Nigintimi and Lotophagi.
Ortelius’ characteristic ornate title cartouche with Classical embellishments and border inlaid with longitudinal and latitudinal details.

Abraham Ortelius was a Flemish cartographer and geographer, conventionally recognized as the creator of the first modern atlas, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World). He was one of the most notable figures of the Dutch school of cartography during its golden age (approximately 1570s-1670s).

• Keywords: 16th Century · Africa · Africa, North · Ancient History · Carthage · Cartography · Catalogue No.5 – Maps of the World · Library & Collection Building · Map · Map, African · North Africa · Original Engraving · Original Map · Original Maps · Rare Map Africa · Rare Maps Collection – Africa · Vintage Map
• Inventory Number: 200006AG