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M-11369: (Image: 14 ¾ x 19 ½’’) “AFRICÆ nova Tabula” Henricus Hondius. Amsterdam: Jan Jansson, c. 1640. Engraved map with later hand-coloring. Verso: French. (Ref: Norwich #34 - illustrated).

This highly decorative map depicts the African continent with topographical features shown  and numerous cities, towns, villages, mountains, deserts, and waterways identified (many fictitious). The seas are full of six ships in full sail in the Atlantic, another ship south of Madagascar, flying fish and sea monsters. Neptune and a mermaid are found in the lower left corner. Throughout the continent are numerous animals indigenous to the region (elephants, lions, monkeys, ostriches, camels, goats, etc.).