Maps of Transcaucasia. From the historic atlas "Senca Historiarum Orientalis Quinti Seculi P.N. Chr."
Maps of Transcaucasia. From the historic atlas "Senca Historiarum Orientalis Quinti Seculi P.N. Chr."
Germany, Nurnberg
circa 1720
Mapmaker, engraver and editor Christoph Weigel
Paper; cutting, etching, watercolours
37.5 х 46.5 cm (size of the sheet)
The horizontal sheet consisting of two parts features a detailed map of the region lying between the Caspian (Mare Caspium seu Hyrcanum) and the Black (Pontus Euxinus) Seas including European and Asian Sarmatia (Sarmatia Asiatica, Sarmatia Europaea), Iberia, Colchis, Caucasian Albania, Scythia (Scythiae). The territories of adjacent Armenia, Paphlagonia, Pontus, Atropatene (Atropatena) are specified. The names of the settlements, rivers, mountains, etc. are given in the Latin language.
An inscription in Latin in the cartouche supported by putto and surrounded by antique coins is in the right top corner: "Asia intra MAEOTIM PONTUM et Mare Caspium exc.Christophorus Weigelius Noribergae. C.Privilegi S Caesar Majestatis".
The map revealing the ancient classical view of the world features the territory including the present-day south of Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan bordering with Turkey and Iran.
The area lying along the banks of the Kiros River (the Kura River at the present time) in the territory of the present-day Azerbaijan was called Albania in the classical times.
Armenia is a highland located at the upper current of the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers and then further to the East to the banks of the Araks River.
Atropatene is a historic region and an ancient state in the northwest of the modern-day Iran. It approximately equals the territory of Iranian Azerbaijan and south regions of Azerbaijan Republic.
Galatia is an area in the central high plateau of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey)
Iberia is a highland in the Central Caucasus covering the eastern part of current Georgia.
Colchis is a historic name of present-day western Georgia.
Paphlagonia is an Asia Minor maritime region in the south coast of the Black Sea (present-day Turkey)
Pontus is a Classical Greek name of the Asia Minor northeast area
Sarmatia is the name of the Eastern Europe territories adjacent to Germany or Dacia to the east of the Vistula River and to the north of the Carpathian Mountains at the period of the Roman Empire. At the same time apart from the European Sarmatia there was also the Asian Sarmatia lying behind the Don River (Sarmatian Gates to the Caucasus), and the region of Sarmatian Iazyges tribes to the south of the Carpathian Mountains, between the Danube River and Tisza River. The Sarmatians are Iranian people nomadising to the East of the Don River and famous for their bowmen; they are mentioned by Herodotus. From that region they expanded further to the West to the lower reaches of the Danube River forcing their kindred tribes of Scythians out from the Crimea and the adjacent regions of modern-day southern Russia.
The Scythians is a collective name for the tribes living in ancient times near the Black Sea, the Don River, the Dnepr and Danube Rivers. They are described by Herodotus. Some of them settled in the southern Russia, others kept on nomadising and invading the West Asia.
Инв.6618.1/КНГ