Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 1: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and AstronomyStevenson, Edward Luther
History
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 1: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy
Stevenson, Edward Luther
Geography -- History; Globes
In the year 1877 or 1878, reports Professor Ferdinando Jacoli, Admiral
William Acton acquired two interesting and scientifically valuable
terrestrial globes of the early sixteenth century once belonging to
Count Piloni of Belluno, Italy.[179] That one appearing to be the older
of the two resembles so closely the Paris green globe in size, having a
diameter of 24 cm., and in its details, that there is good reason for
thinking it to be the work of the same author. Like the Paris globe it
is neither signed nor dated. The surface of the ball is covered with a
preparation of plaster on which the geographical details have been
written. Seas and lands are colored, the equator, the tropics, and the
polar circles are indicated by gilded lines. Meridians are drawn at
intervals of ten degrees, the prime meridian passing through the Canary
Islands, and parallels are likewise represented at intervals of ten
degrees. The metal meridian circle and the stand upon which the sphere
rests retain in places some of the old gilding. Professor Jacoli
expresses the opinion that it may be of Spanish or of Portuguese origin,
an opinion based upon the nomenclature. It seems, however, probable that
the author was an Italian and that he merely employed the Spanish or the
Portuguese sources, as was so frequent, and in so large a measure
necessary, in that day. In Africa the author has represented the
“Peludes nili,” and two lakes into which several rivers flow having
their source in the Mountains of the Moon. To the southeast of the
continent is represented “Zanzibar insula,” and near this are a number
of small islands with the legend “Iste insule ex mandato regis
Portugalliae lustrate sunt.” The islands of Ceylon and Sumatra are laid
down but are given the names “Taprobana” and “Seula” respectively. In
the interior of Asia we read “Carama civitas magna,” near this “Thebet
provincia mais,” and below “Hic dñat prespiter Johannes rex totius
Indiae.” In eastern Asia is the name “Catay” and near this the legend
“Zumsay est quedã civitas mag. in medio lacus magnus,” the Paris globe
having “Quinsay” instead of “Zumsay.” The New World in its outlines
bears striking resemblance to the early globes of Schöner. Along the
west coast of South America is the legend “Tota ista provincia inventa
est per mandatum regis Castelle,” near the same “Terra ultra
incognita,” and extending along the west coast of North America “Terra
ulterius incognita,” all of which legends, in identical wording, appear
on the Paris globe. The Antilles are referred to in the legend “iste
insule per Columbum Genuensem Almirantem ex mandato regis Castelle
perite sunt,” and in South America “America ab inventore nuncupata.”
Near the west coast of Africa we find “Insule portugalensium
invente—domini 1477,” one of which is called “visionis insula.” The
author has also represented an Antarctic continent but has made no
reference to it by specific name or legend. If the Paris globe was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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