A 17th century Dutch map of Arabia

JANSSON, Jan.

Arabiae Felicis, Petraeae et Desertae nova at accurata delineatio.
Amsterdam, c.1660. Original colour with additions. 440 x 510mm.

An uncommon old map of Arabia, first published in Jansson's 'Atlas Novus' in 1658. Because of the lack of new information, Jansson had to rely on the old Ptolemaic names for his new map, so the peninsula is still shown divided in three Roman Provinces: ' Arabia Felix', 'Arabia Petraea' and 'Arabia Deserta'. Mecca and Medina are marked reasonably accurately but the rest of the interior is quite imaginative, with several rivers and a lake. The Persian Gulf coastline is also vague: Bahrain is marked inaccurately, despite their pearl fishery being known to the Romans, and there is no Qatari peninsula.

TIBBETTS: 101.
Stock ID : 21076