1560 The Island of Crete Della Grecia Candia seu Creta Insula
By: Sebastian Münster
Date: 1560 (circa) Basel
Dimensions: 3 x 6 inches (7.6 x 15.24 cm)
This fascinating map of the island of Crete was published in an Italian edition of Sebastian Munster’s atlas, Geographia. The woodcut map is set within a page of text describing the island, its size, its cities and civilizations, along with various historical and legendary accounts. It is a fascinating map which rewards time spent studying its miniscule details.
The island is depicted as nearly completely covered by mountains. Major cities are denoted with some toponyms in Latin and others in Italian, with cities depicted in miniature pictorial vignettes. The ancient harbor and port city of Heracleum is labeled on the map as Candia, the name assigned it following the purchase of the island by the autonomous Venetian Republic in 1204.
Just off the southern coast of the island is a scroll shaped cartouche containing the inscription in Latin ‘Hic supra est Labyrinthus’ meaning ‘Above is the Labyrinth’ referring to the ancient legend of the complex maze at Knossos. Designed by Daedalus for King Minos to house the monster Minotaur, who had the body of a man with the head of a bull, the Labyrinth tested Theseus, who eventually killed the Minotaur and found his way out with the help of Ariadne’s thread.
Münster’s map features an interesting circular structure a short distance inland just above the cartouche. The image resembles ancient depictions of labyriths carved in stone and featured on some coins. Another pictorial description features an aqueduct not far from the southern shore. Mount Ida, known as the birthplace of Zeus, is featured in the mountainous territory of the island. Zeus’ mother Rhea hid him in the Idaean Cave on Mount Ida to protect him from his father Cronus, who regularly ate his own children. To protect Zeus, a group of warriors would dance and sing outside the cave when the infant Zeus would cry.
Condition: The map itself is in A condition. The text below has areas of light staining.
Inventory #12921
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