1574 Tabula Asiae VII

This fascinating  Ruscelli map is from his work La Geografia di Claudio Tolomeo Alessandrino.  Ruscelli based much of his work on that of Claudius Ptolemy, and on the atlas maps of Giacomo Gastaldi. This map covers parts of Russia and Asia including the territories between the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf. This map spans a vast stretch of this portion of Asia, from Iran and Pakistan, up through Turkmenistan and Tajikistan to Kazakhstan and beyond. The map names many of the ancient kingdoms of this vast region, such as the Scythians, Bactrians, and other ancient peoples. The region was crisscrossed by many trade routes which comprised the ancient and famed Silk Route, parts of which have been in use since at least the 2nd century BCE.  Ruscelli positioned the famed ‘Stone Tower’ on the Route to the far east of the map, in a forested area close to mountains. The Tower was an important stopping point for travelers, where they could rest, take on supplies, and reach a decision as to ho