Theatrum Orbis Terrarum

Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, first published in Antwerp in 1570, is commonly regarded as the first modern atlas. This volume presents the first edition in a newly prepared format, preserving its maps and accompanying material to highlight the remarkable craftsmanship and detail of Renaissance cartographers.The 1570 edition contained seventy maps arranged on fifty-three sheets, covering the known world and its principal regions. The sequence begins with a map of the world, followed by Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, and continues through individual countries and regions. The maps were engraved on copperplates and accompanied by descriptive texts, reflecting Ortelius's effort to gather, compare, and organize the geographical knowledge available to him.This volume includes the complete original sequence of fifty-three plates, together with a modern English translation of Ortelius's address to the reader, a complete plate list, and introductory material on the atlas and its history. The historical map images are high quality scans designed to fit this format, furnished by the David Rumsey Map Collection.This is intended as a presentation of the 1570 edition for readers interested in the history of cartography, early atlases, geography, exploration, and the development of the modern printed atlas.