The New World Map?
Zoom into the New Map of the New World story to see how Sebastian Münster depicts representation of the Americas of the time.
New Map of the New World (1542) by Sebastian MünsterNational Library of the Czech Republic
New Map of the New World
The map first appeared in Münster's Cosmographia in the 1540 and is considered to be the first to show the entire continents of North and South America. The depiction of the whole of North America is very inaccurate, even in the contemporary context.
Münster's maps of the New World were significant because they provided Europeans with a visual representation of the recently discovered continents. Let's discover some inaccuracy together!
Californian peninsula
Californian peninsula is missing on this map.
Yucatán
The green coloured Yucatán is incorrectly depicted as an island.
Temistitan
The inscription 'Temistitan' indicates the present-day capital of Mexico; the trees to the right of it are symbolising an unspecified mountain range.
Japan
Zipangri, or Japan, is shown particularly close to Mexico.
Mare Pacificum
This map is the first historical use of the term 'Mare Pacificum'.
Portugal
At the right edge of the map, there is the Flag of Portugal 1185 - 1248.
These maps played a crucial role in shaping contemporary perceptions of the Americas and contributed to the geographical knowledge of the time.
Ceiling fresco of the New Mathematical Hall (1760) by Josef KramolínNational Library of the Czech Republic
Keep exploring!
Continue your journey through the collection of the National Library of the Czech Republic and piece together the puzzles with family and friends!
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