World map from the Medici-Laurentian atlas

World map from the Medici-Laurentian atlas

Dating from the mid 13th century this is the first (extant) map to incorporate the travel reports of Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta. It shows Asia up to India, marking places like the Delhi Sultanate and others with reasonable accuracy. The atlas also shows the Caspian as a closed sea (unusual for maps of that time). It includes a depiction of the recognisable shape of the continent of Africa with remarkable precision.
The slide is labelled "British Museum Maps. 8.d.22 Laurentian Portolano"

Morrab Library

1340-1360

Morrab Library

Lantern Slide

MG.482