De Virga world map
The de Virga world map was created by Albertin de Virga in the second decade of the 15th century. Located on the map in small letters of the words:
The last year is not readable due to a Knickfalz; it is interpreted as 1 or 5.
Albertin de Virga was a Venetian. He is also known for a map of the Mediterranean from 1409, which was also created in Venice.
Description
The card combines features of medieval world maps and PORTOLAN cards. The actual map drawing is enclosed circular. The circle has a diameter of 41 cm. The complete work was drawn on a parchment in the dimensions of 69.6 x 44 centimeters and also includes a calendar and two tables. One of the tables was intended for the calculation of phases of the moon, the other for the date of Easter.
The map is oriented to north. In the center of the map in the area of Central Asia, there is a wind rose that perhaps shows the observatory of Ulugh Beg in the city of Samarkand in modern Uzbekistan. However, it could also mean the western coast of the Caspian Sea. The wind rose divides the map in eight sectors.
The map is colored ( in the adjacent figure is based on a non-color reproduction). The seas were left with the exception of the Red Sea, which was colored red, in white. Continents are marked in yellow; Islands of different colors were used. Mountains are blue in brown, lakes and rivers turn brown shown.
The calendar, outside of the card is provided with pictures of zodiac sign.
The map agrees in many respects with the map of Fra Mauro from the 1457 agreement. Like this one, it was drawn before the circumnavigation of the Cape of Good Hope.
Cartographic details
The continental mass surrounding ocean is called " Mari Magno Oziano ".
Jerusalem is indicated ( Jordan and Gorlan ), but is not exactly in the center of the map. The three continents are represented fairly clear, and are labeled "Europe", "Africa" and "Asia". The Indian Ocean contains a variety colored islands, reminiscent stylistically to Arab cards.
Atlantic Ocean
The Canaries and Azores are drawn and show an influence Genoese and Catalan maps.
Africa
On the African continent, the Atlas Mountains and the Nile are located. The realm of Prester John is situates the creator in Ethiopia.
The Garden of Eden was located at the southernmost tip of Africa and indeed after the symbol of two concentric rings, from which the Book of Genesis, which spring four rivers of Paradise.
Asia
Asia is provided with location information, such as medru, Calcar, Monza sede di sedre (M.. Of North China) and Bogar Tartarorum, so continuous, as under Mongol or Tartar dominion standing represented. Karakorum is shown provided with fortifications. Next to this is the statement " M.. Gol " ( Mongols ). Furthermore, there are names of Chinese rivers and cities that Marco Polo had used.
On the coasts of the Indian Ocean, the kingdoms of Mimdar and Madar are seen. Furthermore, perhaps Sri Lanka, with the caption Ysola d alegro suczimcas magna. A large island in the Indian Ocean is called Caparu immersive Java magna. Perhaps this goes back to the description of Marco Polo of Java and Japan.
Europe
In northern Europe different location information are listed as Ogama, Goga ( Gog and Magog ), Rotenia ( Ruthenia ), Naja and Samolica. In the area of Scandinavia we find the name Norveca (Norway). The local coastline merges into a land mass that could be described as his own " Northern Europe " and evokes associations with the Skalholt card. Because of this, was thought that the world map of De Virgo is to be regarded as evidence of pre-Columbian knowledge of America. The most prevalent view is then that De Virga, the information it receives, misinterpreted information about Norway. So do not marked on the map as Iceland.
History of the map
The map was rediscovered in 1911 and acquired by art collector Albert Figdor in a used book store in Šibenik. She was examined by Franz von Wieser, a professor at the University of Vienna, there are no doubts as to the authenticity. It behalf Wieser's photographs of the map were made, which are now in the British Library.
Albert Figdor died in Vienna in 1928. In June 1932, the map was in Lucerne - Figdors collection was sold by his heirs - led in a auction catalog of the Swiss company Gilhofer & Ranschburg with a minimum bid of 9,000 Swiss francs. She came into the possession of a Jewish family from Heidelberg and disappeared with their owners end of the 1930s.