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Munster's classic world map, an oval projection surrounded by 12 wind heads, published in his Geographia. The oceans are filled with fierce sea monsters and a ship. The four old world continents are named in Gothic type with some country names but no political borders. The Nile River is the most prominent feature in Africa, with its twin sources terminating in a range of mountains. The New World shows both continents with strange shapes and there is a huge passage through North America connected to the inland Sea of Verrazanno. Unidentified islands Grisonum and Calensuan are placed in the proximity of Australia and Zipangri (Japan) is located just of the coast of North America. This and the accompanying map of the Americas were the first printed maps to name the Pacific Ocean. Already the search for the North-West Passage was on: a legend states "This strait leads through to the Moluccas", apparently based on Cartier's search up the St Lawrence, 1522-4. This is the first (and much rarer) woodblock used by Munster.
ANTIQUE MAPS (1149)
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