1585 Islandia

By: Abraham Ortelius Date: 1585 (dated) Antwerp Dimensions: 13.25 x 19.5 inches (33.6 cm x 50 cm) Ortelius's iconic map of Iceland filled with sea monsters, mythical beasts, and unnatural curiosities found only in dreams. This spectacular Ortelius map of Iceland is a classic in the history of mapmaking, not only for its decorative appeal, but for being the first relatively accurate map of Iceland taken from indigenous sources. Here we see Iceland depicted in minute detail with all geophysical features which were known to be extant at the time noted. Ortelius depicts mountains and volcanoes, with Mount Hekla actually erupting, with flames shooting high into the sky, and spuming volcanic material. In the upper right quadrant we see Polar Bears floating on icebergs just off the coast. Large sections and trunks of trees float off the coast. Myriad fanciful sea monsters and other creatures inhabit the seas surrounding the island. Each is assigned a letter of the alphabet and described in fu