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The 'Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula' reworked by Rossi from De Wit's wall map. It is a tremendous and beautiful world wall chart that was originally printed on 12 separate sheets, which were then attached. The complete map measured 186cms wide by 126cms high. On offer here is the eleventh sheet which shows the southern portion of the eastern hemisphere. Most notable is its depiction of "Terra Megessanica" or "Australis Incognita". This great southern block of land would soon disapear off maps as its existence would be gradually dispelled.

This section of the map engraved by Georgius Widman is beautifully done with scenes depicting Africa. A portion of the southern hemisphere's star chart, a smaller inset "Polus Antarcticus" shows a view of the antartic circle, and the Hypothesis Tychonica showing a very interesting version of the orbits of the solar system. Up until the 1600s many people believed that all the planets in the solar system and the sun revolved around the earth. However many astronomers knew that it was most likely that the planets revolved around the sun. The "Hypothesis Tychonica" here shows the sun revolving around the earth like a moon and then the planets revolving around this unlikely orbit. As astronomers were sure at least Mercury and Venus revolved around the sun these planets are shown to orbit the sun which in turn orbits the earth and with the rest of the planets orbiting this. A complex attempt to explain the solar system without taking the earth from its centre.

Unfortunately only one of the twelve pieces of this map is present. It is certainly exceptional complete but here is offered one segment of the very rare and beautiful map altered by Giovann De Rossi from De Wit's wall map of 1660.

View map online on http://www.antiquemapart.com/map/245