Hispaniae Nova Delineatio

Hispaniae Nova Delineatio

The Dutch humanist Enrique Cock created a splendid map of the Iberian Peninsula, likely the oldest to be printed in Spain, the full name of which is Hispaniae Nova Delineatio cum Antiquis et Recentioribus Nominibus. Cock travelled extensively beginning in 1574, allowing for him to create a map of incredible detail, especially with respect to rivers, mountains, and other topographical features. Two editions were published in 1581 and 1583 by Georgius Flemalia (active 1580–1591), a printer in Salamanca, of which only two specimens survive. The map was first discovered at the Hessischen Landesbibliotheck in Darmstadt. The second one was bound into an atlas in the National Library of Spain. Both belong to the 1583 edition. Aside from its beauty and rarity, the map has a wealth of information. Modern Spanish and ancient Latin place names appear side-by-side. Old Roman administrative divisions are demarcated by dotted lines. Smaller cities are represented by circles, larger ones by clumps of buildings; bishoprics are indicated with a cross, archbishoprics are indicated with a double-arm cross. The various kingdoms making up Spain are represented by their respective coats of arms, while the author’s personal escutcheon appears in the lower-left corner with the motto Homo ut flos, a compass, and scale. The lower-right corner features a large poster with architectural motifs and an extensive explanation of the map and its contents, as well as details of its publication. Finally, it identifies various populations for the first time, something which would not be incorporated into another map for two centuries.