The first regional map of the Gulf Coast of North America

A map of the Spanish possessions in North America, one of the very few 16th century printed maps based on Spanish sources, in this case Gerónimo de Chaves, Cosmographer to Philip II of Spain. It shows the Gulf coasts from Texas east to Florida, with parts of Carolina and the Bahamas, as mapped during Hernano de Soto's expedition, 1539-42. It was originally published in 1584, on a sheet with maps of Peru and 'Guastecan' (southeast Mexico).