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To the atlas he appended a geographical dictionary which contained both the ancient and modern names. Considering geography as an eye of history ( historiœ oculus), he usually added the ancient historical names of countries and cities to the modern ones. He conscientiously gave credit to the author of maps which were published on a reduced scale by himself. When the name of the author was mentioned on the map, Orteius did not change a line or a name then, but, when the author's name was not given, he resolutely made such changes as appeared to him necessary. Where scveral maps of one country were available, he chose the most modern and most reliable copy. Ortelius has combined in this work in a systematic manner all recent maps of the world and separate countries, of which he had heard during his long activity as trader and collector. This work is the "Theatrum orbis terrarum", which appeared in 1570 it was the first great modern atlas, and contained seventy copper engravings on fifty-three double-folio pages. No copy has yet been found of Ortelius's great map of Asia, but in his chief work, which assures him for all time a place of honour in the history of cartography, we find not only his own map of Asia on a smaller scale, but also a number of maps of other cartographers, who otherwise are completely unknown. Bernoulli, "Ein Karteninkunabelnband", Basle, 1905, p. As the only extant copy of this great map is that in the library of the University of Basle (cf. Five years before Mercator published his famous Carta Navigatoria (1569) appeared Ortelius's great eight-leaved map of the world. Meanwhile he did not confine himself entirely to trafficking in charts. This trading in maps was probably one of the chief reasons for his unusually extended trips to Germany, England, Italy, and particularly for his annual visits to the great fair at Leipzig. By purchasing as valuable maps as possible, mounting them on canvas, colouring, and re-selling them, he managed to assist in supporting the family, as may be gleaned from a contemporary letter. When twenty years of age he joined a guild as a colourer of charts. The death of his father in 1535, who had been a wealthy merchant, seems to have placed the family in difficulties, for Ortelius began to trade or peddle geographical charts and maps while still a mere youth. His family came from Augsburg, wherefore Ortelius frequently referred to himself as "Belgo-Germanus". Georges-Louis Leclerk who resurrected Ortelius’s theory of a great earthquake and floods pushing the land apart, and finally.104807 Catholic Encyclopedia - Abraham Ortelius Joseph FischerĪ cartographer, geographer, and archæologist, born in Antwerp, 4 April, 1527 died there, 28 June, 1598. Who resurrected Ortelius theory of the great earthquake and flood? Theatrum was unique from previous map collections because the 70 maps on 53 pages had uniform style and text. The author was Flemish cartographer Abraham Ortelius. On this day in 1570, the first modern atlas-Theatrum orbis terrarum, or Theatre of the World-was published. Library of Congress as “a collection of uniform map sheets and sustaining text bound to form a book.” The original Latin edition of the Theatrum was composed of 70 maps on 53 … Who made the first modern atlas?
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When did Abraham Ortelius discover the atlas?įirst published in May 1570, Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World) is considered to be the first atlas, defined by the U.S.
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He suggested that the continents were once joined and that the Americas were “torn away” from Europe and Africa, most likely from earthquakes and other natural events. When assembling his maps, Ortelius noted that the coastlines of the continents appear to fit together. How did Abraham Ortelius discover continental drift? He is known as the inventor of the atlas – a book bringing maps together in one format and with the same display – and was the first person to discover continental drift. Abraham Ortelius is a key figure in the history of human knowledge.
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