Portolan Charts of the Atlantic Coast of Europe, the Western Mediterranean, and the Eastern Mediterranean

Portolan Charts of the Atlantic Coast of Europe, the Western Mediterranean, and the Eastern Mediterranean

The first of the three charts shows the Atlantic coast of Europe, stretching from the south coasts of England to Iberia, the northwest quadrant of Africa, and Madeira and the Canary Islands. The center of Spain is overlaid with a crude coat of arms mimicking that of Castile and León. The second chart shows the central and Eastern Mediterranean. Hovering over central Anatolia is a crowned blue medallion containing a crescent moon with a face in profile representing the Ottoman Sultanate. This symbol hints at the broader conflict simmering between Christian and Muslim powers in the mid-sixteenth century. The third chart shows the Western Mediterranean from the Adriatic Sea to the Straits of Gibraltar and beyond. Though the charts appear to have been produced in Italy, the place-names demonstrate Portuguese influence; the cartographer was familiar with trade activity in the Eastern Atlantic and along the west coast of Africa.

ca. 1550

Manuscript on parchment, 3 bifolios

Lehigh University, Codex 12 (acc. no. 9n59)

Italy