An illuminated incunable map of Central Asia

A striking 15th century map of Central Asia as known to the Romans, showing eastern Scythia and Serica, two kingdoms to the north of India and China.
The map comes from the second Ulm edition of Claudius Ptolemyis 'Geographia', published four years after the first. This was one of the first books designed to be coloured, but this example is exceptional in that it has been embellished with additional manuscript vignette images. At the top of the map are two griffins; nearby are the Anuby mountains, with eight gold 'coins', probably representing gold mines; at 'Achassa Regio' (Ladakh) is a very European city with a pennant flying; and near Tagora is a scene of pigmies hunting cranes, based on Aristotle.
The Ulm Ptolemy was an innovation because it was designed to be issued coloured. The additional vignettes suggest this was a special example, executed by a colourist who had the necessary knowledge of classical texts, probably a monk who had illuminated manuscripts or a bestiary.