The Leardo Map of the World, 1452 or 1453: In the Collections of the American Geographical SocietyWright, John Kirtland
History
The Leardo Map of the World, 1452 or 1453: In the Collections of the American Geographical Society
Wright, John Kirtland
Early maps; Leardo, Giovanni
63 _PARADIXO TERESTO_: The Terrestrial Paradise is placed in Africa on
the earlier Leardo maps as well as on CE. See Wright, Lore, 261-263.
(B) West of Terrestrial Paradise
64 _sina_: ?Sinae, Ptol. (VII, 3 (FA26));=China (see Wright, op. cit.,
271).
65 _R^o de ...|.ge_(?): =?
66 _Tango | ... ti_(?): ?Tangut, Polo (i, 203-205);=Kansu and southern
Mongolia (Hallb., 507-508).
67 _R^o Tarse_: CA and CE have legends to the effect that from Tarsia
came the three Magi (Kret., CE, 197-198; Hallb., 515-517,
267-268);=vicinity of the T‘ien Shan (Hallb., l.c.);=eastern Turkestan
(Kret., l.c.).
Place Names
68 _pinca_(?): ?Pinzu, Mauro (Zurla, 36; name omitted on Santarem’s copy
of Mauro map in his Atlas, 45); ?Piju, Polo (ii, 141; see Hallb.,
409);=P‘ei-chou (Yule, Polo, l.c.).
69 _ruoenci_(?):=?
Longer Inscriptions
70 _prouinzia de og magog doue | foron(?) serati molti Trib ... de
| Judei_ (province of Gog and Magog where many tribes of Jews were
enclosed): Related legends on CA (Buchon and Tastu, 145-146) and CE
(Kret., CE, 202-206); see Hallb., 260-265. On legend of Gog and Magog
see also Wright, Lore, 287-288.
71 _Idolatri_: A reflection of the idolaters of the Grand Khan’s domains
frequently mentioned by Marco Polo.
72 _porte de fero_: The iron gates erected by Alexander the Great to
enclose Gog and Magog, shown on CE; see 70.
73 _statoe de alesandr^o_: The statues of trumpeters set up by Alexander
to keep guard over Gog and Magog, shown on CA and CE; see 70.
74 _dixerto doue eno | molti grifoni_: Griffons were placed in Scythia
by many classical and medieval writers; see Hallb., 232-234.
75 _qu ... si manza | carne de omo_ (here they eat the flesh of man);
Cannibals were placed in these regions by many classical and medieval
writers; they were often associated with Gog and Magog; see Hallb.,
30-32.
III. India
Mountain
76 _M^o. meandrus_: Maeandrus Mons in Farther India, Ptol. (VII, 2:8
(FA26));=?Mahudaung mountains in Upper Burma (Gerini, 51, 832). No
corresponding mountain shown on either CA or CE.
Rivers
The river system is more elaborate than, although somewhat analogous in
its general pattern to, that of CA and CE. The Indus and its branches
seem to be lacking on the Catalan maps. I am unable to trace the origin
of several of the river names.
77 _f. priolada_:=?
78 _f. tindarus_:=?
79 _f. masa|rus_:=?
80 _f. sumas_:=?
81 _f. bindas_: Bindas Fl. of India intra Gangem Fluvium (Ptol., VII, 1,
6 (FA25)); possibly the name is related to that of Bhiwandi near
Bassein, N of Bombay (Tomaschek, in PW, iii, 268-269).
82 _f. madus_: Namadus Fl. of India intra Gangem Fluvium, Ptol. (VII,
1:5 (FA25)).
83 _f. amarus_: Amarus is given as another name for the Indus on Vat.
(Pullé, Vat., 16-17); no Amarus Fl. in Ptol.
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