Old Maps-The World 57x39 Cm

THE WORLD, 1637

by Jodocus Hondius

This reproduction is taken from an original document held within the Archive of the UK Hydrographic Office, Taunton , Somerset .

This map is based upon Jodocus Hondius junior's world map of 1617. The Parisian Henri le Roy adopted the map and re-engraved the borders, which was then published by Michael van Lochom in 1637.

Henri le Roy provided the decorative representations of the four continents in the corners of the map, each depicting animals and people typical of the regions. A horse and reindeer represent Europe, a camel for Asia, an elephant for Africa and a crocodile for the Americas .

The map was inserted in Nicholas Tassin's atlas ‘Cartes Generales' in 1637 and 1640, and was later used in Pierre d'Avity's ‘Le Monde' published in 1643.