Tabula Geographica Hydrophylacium Asiæ Majoris exhibens, quo Omnia Flumina Sive Proximè Sive Remotè per Occultos Mæandros Originem Suam Sortiuntur

1665

Later hand-coloured copper engraving on paper

Without mount: 14.1 x 16.9 in (36 x 43 cm)
With mount: 20.4 x 23.2 in (52 x 59 cm)

Athanasius Kirchir's Mundus Subterraneus, in XII Libros Digestus, Quo Divinum Subterrestris Mundi Opificium, Mira Ergasteriorum Naturae in Eo Distributio, Verbo Pantamorphon Protei Regnum, Universae Denique Naturae Majestas ET Divitiae Summa Rerum Varietate Exponuntur, is the source of this remarkable first edition map.

The first comprehensive attempt to characterise the physical composition of the planet was Mundus Subterraneus (The Underground World), which put out theories—some of which were fantastic—in the fields of physics, geography, geology, and chemistry.

This highly rare map shows every region of southern Asia, including the East Indies and the Celebes, extending from the Arabian Peninsula to the Philippines. It shows a portion of the Caspian Sea as it stretches north. It shows present-day countries like Iran, Iraq, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, Singapore, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Only the major rivers, lakes, and mountains are listed on the map, along with the regions and countries. This limits the political detail. The primary source of the majority of Asia's rivers is a sizable subterranean lake located to the north of India. Neptune and angels, or putti, are shown in the decorative title cartouche.

Based on Kircher's trip to Sicily in 1637-8, when Stromboli and Etna both erupted, this piece was created. He proposed that water travelling to and from a subterranean ocean was what caused the tides. "Hydrophylacium principal Asiae" is the name of one such ocean that is located in the centre of Asia. The Indus, Ganges, and "Ieselbas" (a phantom river entering into the Capsian sea) are fed by this wholly imaginary ocean.

He concluded from this observation that volcanoes served as safety valves and that the earth's centre was a vast internal inferno. His writings included conjectures about the sun, moon, eclipses, currents, meteorology, secret lakes, rivers of fire, odd occupants, meteorology, medications, poisons, and even pyrotechnics. As the first attempt to depict the world from a physical basis, the work "must always command a high place in the literature." (Zittel, p.25)

Priest and scholar Athanasius Kircher (1601–1680) was a Jesuit. He was one of the first compilers of semi-scientific knowledge about the physical features of the world. He collected and assisted in the dissemination of knowledge that Jesuit missionaries had accumulated from all across the world. He is credited with being the first to map the Pacific Ring of Fire. He was among the last men of the Renaissance. Following an eruption, he descended into Vesuvius, experimented with bioluminescence as a light source, and created the first Aeolian harp that is known to exist. 44 volumes and more than 2000 manuscripts were written by him, and he put together one of the first natural history collections. Thematic maps in Kircher's work made it fascinating in and of itself. His research focused on the globe's subterranean networks and passageways. He produced the first map to depict ocean currents.

This work will be shipped unframed

NON-EXPORTABLE

This lot will be shipped in "as is" condition. For further details, please refer to the images of individual lots as reference for the condition of each lot.