Title

1670 c. - Novissima et Accuratissima Totius Americae Descriptio

Files

Subject

1670 era map by Dutch cartographer, Frederik de Wit, of North and South America with the “California as an island” myth being perpetuated.

Description

A 1670 era map by Dutch cartographer, Frederik de Wit, depicting North and South America with the “California as an island” myth being perpetuated. It shows a non-existent coastline north of California and a misshaped South America. While providing substantial detail of the Eastern regions of Canada and North America, there is little information on the interior of North America. It depicts Dutch possessions, the Iroquois, New Amsterdam, Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay, Plymouth, as well as vignettes of Indians and Indian villages in South America and animals in North America. Regions for Florida, Canada, Mexico, West Indies and South America are depicted as separate geographic regions. The upper left plaque shows an angel and a female figure bearing a cross. The lower left cartouche depicts natives bringing gold bars and baskets of grain to an Indian chieftain. The map, unlike many similar maps published in the 17^th century, shows ships throughout the oceans flanking North and South America. De Wit who was active in the second half of the 17^th century published world atlases containing anywhere from 15 to 150 maps – none of which were dated.

Source

Archivo Cartografico y de Estudios Geograficos, Madrid, Spain

Format

JPEG

Language

Latin

Original Format

Paper

Document Type

Map

Recommended Citation

"1670 c. - Novissima et Accuratissima Totius Americae Descriptio" (2017). Pre-1824 Maps. 33.
https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/hornbeck_spa_1_a/33