Very fine example of the map of Palestine by Ortelius present in the “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum”, the first atlas first printed in 1570. This map is based on two maps created by Tilemann Stella, as Ortelius credits on the cartouche.

Stella was one of the inner circle of students favoured by Philip Melanchthon, one of founding philosophers of Protestantism and a collaborator of Martin Luther. Melanchthon requested that the young mathematician Stella draw maps to aid in the in depth reading and interpretation of the Bible. Stella drew two maps in 1552 and 1557 of the Holy Land and the route of the Exodus respectively, based on his Biblical studies and maps of the Holy Land by Jacob Ziegler. Ortelius took these maps and adapted them to the style of the “Theatrum” as well as adding the route of the Exodus onto his version.  Ortelius version of Stella’s map was present through all editions of the “Theatrum” from 1570 to 1612, although the plate was engraved three times, with small changes on the seas and the number of ships sailing in the Mediterranean.

Due to the success and wide proliferation of Ortelius’s atlas, this map became the major authority for early maps of Palestine, used as a primary source for decades in the future. Geographically, the map stretches from Berytus (Beirut) on the Levant coast to the Nile Delta. The largest amount of detail focuses on the Biblical lands although the other major geographical feature is the route of the Exodus which is shown to begin in the city of “Raemses” and finish in the city of “Lidda/Ioppe”. The route bears numbers, referencing Biblical chapters. 

Two large cartouches adorn the map: on the upper left, a circular panel of text, surrounding by a frame informs the reader of the history of the region. Just above this panel is the engraving date of this version of the map, 1579. On the lower right, an even more elaborate cartouche draws attention to the author of the map, Stella. This is one of several maps of the Holy Land by Ortelius, all of which are extremely attractive.

This example is in very fine original colour with French text on the reverse and was issued in the 1587 edition of the “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.” Image of reverse available on request. Original colour. [MEAST4662]