Cartographica Helvetica

Summary

Nils G. Germundson:

The Map of Northern Europe by Abraham Ortelius ('Septentrionalium Regionum Descrip[tio]')

Cartographica Helvetica 27 (2003) 37–41

Summary:

The map of the northern areas of Europe by Abraham Ortelius (1527–1598) is one of the most attractive of his atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. When it was first published in 1570, a part of the area had only just been explored, whereas another part was still unknown.

For years map historians have tried to find out the printing states of the individual maps on the basis of details in the map image. Based on the results of his research, the author shows the states of the various printing plates and the distinguishing marks in the map image as well as in the text on the reverse side.