MERCATOR

Mercator’s Map of Turkey and Cyprus
[Gerhard Mercator]. Map: “ASIAE I TAB:” [Turkey and Cyprus].

[Duisburg, circa 1578 or Amsterdam circa 1584].

45×35 cm.

Mercator’s map of Asia Minor and Cyprus, from Mercator’s edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia, first published in 1578. The map also appeared in Mercator’s second (1584) edition of Geographia. Only the first (1578) and second (1584) editions of the atlas were published during Gerard Mercator’s lifetime. The map shows the ancient political division within the Asia Minor region and notes many towns and important cities throughout. In this particular map, the great city of Istanbul formerly known as Constantinople is labeled “Bizantium” from its roots as an ancient Greek city. The name was later changed to Constantinople around 330 A.D. when the Empire ruled the region
under Constantine I. The hand-colored map features a decorative cartouche and two sea
monsters.

Very good condition.