Tabula Nove Ground

Tabula Ground Nove ( Chart of the new grounds ) is the title of a Geographical map drawn by Martin Waldseemüller about 1508 and published in 1513. It is the first chart specifically devoted to the Nouveau World ever published in a atlas.

Description

The chart is a Estampe colors; it measures 38 × 49 centimetres. The edges left and right contain a scale of Latitude, graduated between 34 degree S southern and 44 north degrees. The title TABVLA TER~RE NOVE appears in two parts under the higher edge. A scale in Italian miles is with the right corner of the lower edge.

Contrary to the Planisphere of Waldseemüller, this chart does not indicate the South America like America , but simply like Terra incognita , with the explanation: “this ground and the adjacent islands were discovered by Colomb the gènois elected by king de Castille” In addition, the legend Parias is not indicated more in North America: this territory, discovered whereas Christophe Colomb skirted the coasts of the Venezuela, was for him the Paradis. One can see a regret of Waldseemüller there to have named America according to Amerigo Vespucci, by neglecting the discoveries of Colomb.

On the Brazilian coast, the mention Abbatia omnium Sanctorum ( abbey of all the saints ) shows a transcription error: has Bahia de Todos Santos became Badia de Todos Santos , i.e. a bay was transformed into abbey. One finds the same error in the Planisphère of Ruysch.

The majority of the islands of the the Antilles are represented, of which Isaballa (Cuba), Iamaiqua (Jamaica), Spagnolla (Hispaniola), Ia. onzes millet virgines (the Virgin Islands) or Marigalana (Marie-Gallant). Cuba has the “hook” in south-west characteristic of the charts of the times.

The representation of the coasts of the Central America and the North America remains surrounded by mystery. In particular, the peninsula in the North-West of Isabella is not with satisfaction given. If the Florida seems the obvious answer (and most commonly allowed), it was officially discovered only in 1513 by Ponce of León. Other older charts since the Planisphère of Cantino also represent a peninsula with this position. Another assumption is that it is about the Asia: other charts of the time as the Planisphère of Ruysch explicitly amalgamate the coasts of North America in the continent of Asia. Waldseemüller itself shows the continents like separate in its planisphere of 1508, but like joints in a chart of 1516, on which North America is represented like Terra of Cuba Asia Partis ( Ground of Cuba, part of Asia ), according to the conviction of Colomb. Thomas Suárez reports that, in an outline of Tabula Ground Nove , Cuba was united in “Florida”.

History

The car complete of the chart, given in the index of the Ptolémée of 1513, is Sea chart, also called hydrography, rectified by the very exact navigations made by a former admiral of the sérénissime king of Portugal Ferdinand, then by other explorers: worked out sour the patronage of Rene, very famous duke of Lorraine, deceased today the mention of Ferdinand as king of the Portugal and not of Castille is certainly a simple shell. Rene II of Lorraine died in 1508; if the chart were carried out with its request it is thus former to this date. According to Henry Harrisse, it was drawn according to a Portuguese chart obtained by the duke Rene in 1504. The “former admiral” mentioned in this title is probably Christophe Colomb, “admiral of the sea Océane”. For this reason, the chart is often called chart of the Admiral in the cartographic literature.

The Portuguese chart undoubtedly has a relationship with the Planisphère of Cantino, because of many Toponyme S commun runs.

Sources

Thomas Suárez, Shedding the Veil , 1992, ISBN 981-02-0869-3, pages 62-63
John Fiske, The Discovery off America , 1892, ISBN 0665056648, lira in line (Google Books)

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