An early 18th century map of Catholic Europe

A map of Europe during the latter stages of the Roman Empire, marking the cities that had an early Christian presence. The large title cartouche contains a portrait of St Peter, the first pope. From the seven-volume 'Atlas Novus', a guide to geography by mathematician and geographer Heinrich Scherer (1628-1704). A Jesuit priest, Scherer writings conformed to Catholic dogma, omitting theories that were challenging, including those of Copernicus and Kepler. Thus the 'Atlas Novus' is one of the first printed compilations of thematic maps.