1561 Munster Leaf Assyria Persia Military Elephant
1561 Description of Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia
from "Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster
Erbil, Persepolis
One Woodcut Picture: Military Elephant
Single authentic woodcut leaf from
"Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster. German edition; Basel printing
house of Sebastian Heinrich-Petri 1561. Book V ("Von den landern Asie"), pages
Mccclxix -Mccclxx (1369-70).
Sebastian
Münster (1488-1552) was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and
Hebrew scholar whose Cosmographia (1544; "Cosmography") was the earliest
German description of the world and a major work
- after the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 - in the revival of
geographic thought in 16th-century Europe. Altogether, about 40 editions of the
Cosmographia appeared during 1544-1628.
Although other cosmographies predate Münster's, he is given
first place in historical discussions of this sort of publication, and
was a major influence on his subject for over 200 years.
Cosmographia contained not
only the latest maps and views of many well-known cities, but included
an encyclopaedic amount of detail about the known - and unknown - world
and undoubtedly must have been one of the most widely read books of its
time. Aside from the well-known maps and views present in the
Cosmographia (including
the first separate printed map of the Western Hemisphere),
the text is thickly sprinkled with vigorous woodcuts:
portraits of kings and princes, costumes and occupations, habits and
customs, flora and fauna, monsters and horrors.
Click here for more information about Münster
and Cosmographia, including the content and
list of editions and artists
This most interesting authentic leaf from the 1561 German
edition of Cosmographia is devoted to Babylonia, Assyria and Persia (Iran).
The text talks about ancient Israel, Ezekiel, and Babylonian Captivity.
Thereafter follows a section on Assyria.
Münster mentions
Sennacherib (705-681 B.C.), who spent his reign trying to maintain the
Assyrian empire, and
Irbil (Arbela, Arbil, or Erbil),
one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world.
It was a centre
of communication in the Assyrian empire and long remained a crossroads of caravan
routes. In the Battle of Gaugamela, also known as the Battle of Arbela, fought near
the town in 331 BC, Alexander the Great decisively defeated Darius III, opening the
way for his conquest of Persia.
Thereafter follows a brief introduction to Persia
and the manners and customs of the Persians. The text describes Persepolis
- an ancient capital of the Achaemenian kings of Persia, located
about 32 miles northeast of Shiraz in the region of Fars in
southwestern Iran.
The leaf contains
one excellent woodcut pictures
(2.5 x 4 inches) of a
military unit consisting of an
elephant carrying a group of soldiers.
See scans
for more details; click image to view larger version.
Page measures 7.7 x 11.8 inches.
Printed on laid paper.
The leaf is in good condition.
Imperfections: handling and soiling in margins; marginal repairs.
The woodcut picture is in very good condition.
This is a rare and exceptionally interesting historical document which
will look great with a mat and frame.
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This item is unconditionally guaranteed to be original and as described. We do not sell reproductions or
copies.
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I am a member of
the International Map Collectors' Society (IMCoS)
and
the Washington Map Society.
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