1607 Africa Ex magna orbis terre descriptione Gerardi Mercatoris desumpta, Studio & industria

By: Gerard Mercator (Junior) Date: 1607 (published) Amsterdam Dimensions: 15 x 18.5 inches (38.1 x 47 cm) This is an authentic antique map of the Africa, by Gerard Mercator Junior. The map was published out of Amsterdam circa 1607. This old color map of Africa was one of the most influential maps of the continent during its time. This atlas version of the map was engraved by Gerard Mercator’s grandson whom based the map off of the grandfather’s 21 sheet world map published in 1569. Widely regarded as one of the most geographically accurate maps of Africa for its time, the map displays great detail with regard to the locations of rivers and place names along the entire coast. European exploration is depicted throughout the map, but especially so with the delineation of the Cuama ( Zambezi) River in the northern portion of Benamataxa. Much of the interior geography of the map was derived from Ptolemaic beliefs, most notably is the depiction of the Nile originating from two lakes within