1567 Munster Leaf Egypt Red Sea Balsam Coral Damietta
1567 Description of Egypt and the Red Sea
from "Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster
Balsam, Coral of the Red Sea,
Pelusium, Damietta, Arsinoe
Three Woodcut Pictures
Single authentic woodcut leaf from
"Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster. German edition; Basel printing
house of Sebastian Heinrich-Petri 1567. Book VI ("Von den landern Africe"), pages
Mccccxlv-Mccccxlvi (1445-6).
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 authentic leaf from the German edition of Cosmographia
is devoted to Egypt. Page 1445 talks about balsam and the corals of
the Red Sea. Thereafter follows a section on Pelusium, an ancient
Egyptian city on the easternmost mouth of the Nile River, 30 km to the
southeast of the modern Port Said. The Egyptians likely called it Sa'inu
and also Per-Amon (House of Amon), whence perhaps the site's modern
name, Tell Farama. In the Bible the city is called (Ezekiel 30:15) "the
stronghold of Egypt" (the name being given in the King James Version as
Sin, transliterated from the Hebrew). Damietta is described next.
Damietta (Damiata) is a port and the capital of the governorate of
Domyat, Egypt. It is located at the intersection between the
Mediterranean Sea and the Nile, about 200 kilometres north of
Cairo.
In Ancient Egypt, the city was known as Tamiat, but it became less
important in the Hellenic period after the construction of Alexandria.
Damietta was important in the 12th and 13th centuries during the time of
the Crusades. In 1169, a fleet from the Kingdom of Jerusalem, with
support from the Byzantine Empire, attacked the port, but it was
defeated by Saladin. During preparations for the Fifth Crusade in 1217,
it was decided that Damietta should be the focus of attack. Control of
Damietta meant control of the Nile, and from there the crusaders
believed they would be able to conquer Egypt. From Egypt they could then
attack Palestine and recapture Jerusalem.
Damietta was also the object of the Seventh
Crusade, led by Louis IX of France. His fleet arrived there in 1249 and
quickly captured the fort, though he refused to hand it over to the
nominal king of Jerusalem, to whom it had been promised during the Fifth
Crusade. However, Louis too was eventually defeated in Egypt and was
forced to give up the city.
The last section
describes Fayum (Fayyum), a town in Egypt called Shedet in pharaonic
times and Crocodilopolis, later Arsinoe, in the Ptolemaic and Roman
periods. Sobek (Sebek), a crocodile-god, was worshipped in
Crocodilopolis, where the reptiles were kept in pools and adorned with
jewels.
The leaf contains
three woodcut pictures:
-
A balsam plant
-
A coral
-
A view of Damietta
See scans for more details; click image to view larger version.
Page measures 8.2 x 12.1 inches.
Printed on laid paper.
The leaf is in good condition.
Imperfections: age toning; minor staining in margins.
This is a rare and exceptionally interesting historical
document which will look great with a mat and frame.
-
This item is unconditionally guaranteed to be original and as described. We do not sell reproductions or
copies.
-
I am a member of
the International Map Collectors' Society (IMCoS)
and
the Washington Map Society.
-
If you have questions
about this item, please
contact me
-
Please read the entire description, view all pictures, and ask any questions before bidding.
International Customers: Please read carefully Shipping and Payment conditions
below.
Thank you!
Shipping Policy
-
We will combine shipping on multiple items
-
We are not responsible for packages once they enter the postal system.
Postal insurance is required for combined purchases greater than $50.00.
-
Postage/handling/insurance charges:
-
US Customers: $5.00 by priority mail or
first class mail in a strong cardboard tube.
For insurance, add $1.65 for amounts
up to and including $50.00, $2.05 for amounts between 50.01 and 100.00,
$2.45 for amounts between 100.01 and 200.00, etc.
-
Canadian Customers: $5.0 by regular airmail.
For insurance, consult
the International USPS calculator
or contact me.
-
Other Customers: $7.00 by regular airmail.
For insurance, consult
the International USPS calculator
or contact me.
Payment Policy
-
Please ask any questions regarding payment
before bidding
-
No cash is accepted
-
Payment options:
-
US Customers:
Payment may be made by US check, money order, or credit card through PayPal.
Item paid by check will be shipped as soon as payment clears,
usually within 7 days following receipt. Money order and PayPal payments
will be shipped immediately.
-
International Customers: Payment may be made
ONLY by
cashier's check, international money order or through
PayPal.
VORTECPAN MAPS & PRINTS
Old Maps, Woodcut Leaves, Antique Prints
Please click here to check out our other items
Shipping & Handling
We combine S&H for multple purchases. US Customers: $5.50 by USPS Priority Mail or, for large-size maps, first class mail in a strong cardboard tube. For insurance, add $1.70 for amounts up to and including $50.00, $2.15 for amounts between 50.01 and 100.00, $2.60 for amounts between 100.01 and 200.00, etc. Foreign Customers: Please contact me. |  | US Shipping |
$5.00 USPS First-Class Mail®
|  | International Shipping |
$7.00 USPS First-Class Mail Intl
|