Ancient map of the World, 1597

Cornelis van Wytfliet was a Flemish cartographer and geographer who lived during the late 16th century. He was born in 1555 in Louvain, Belgium, and died in 1597. Van Wytfliet is known for his contribution to the field of cartography through his publication of atlases.

In 1597, van Wytfliet published an atlas titled "Descriptionis Ptolemaicae Augmentum" (The Augmentation of Ptolemy's Description). Within this atlas, he included a map called "Utriusque Hemispherii Delineatio" (Delimitation of Both Hemispheres). This map is a double hemisphere world map that aimed to provide an updated and comprehensive representation of the known world at that time.

The "Utriusque Hemispherii Delineatio" map depicted the eastern and western hemispheres separately. It incorporated geographical information from various sources, including the works of earlier cartographers such as Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius. The map showed the continents of Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, along with detailed coastlines, major cities, and geographical features.

Van Wytfliet's map was based on the Ptolemaic projection, a common method used in cartography during that era. It featured intricate cartographic details, including mountains, rivers, forests, and regions labeled with their respective names. The map also included decorative elements, such as ships, sea creatures, and decorative cartouches.

"Utriusque Hemispherii Delineatio" was one of the earliest world maps to be published as a separate entity within an atlas. Van Wytfliet's atlas, "Descriptionis Ptolemaicae Augmentum," was a significant contribution to the field of cartography, as it provided updated and accessible maps to scholars, explorers, and navigators of the time.

Although Cornelis van Wytfliet's life was tragically cut short at a relatively young age, his work in cartography left a lasting impact. His maps, including the "Utriusque Hemispherii Delineatio," are regarded as important historical artifacts, reflecting the geographical understanding and cartographic techniques of the late 16th century. They continue to be studied and appreciated by historians, collectors, and enthusiasts of cartography.