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As geographers crowd into the edges of their maps parts of
the world which they do not know about, adding notes in the margin to the effect
that beyond this lies nothing but sandy deserts full of wild beasts, and
unapproachable bogs.
-- Plutarch, Life of Theseus
The catalogue of
Museo della Specola at the University of Bologna's Department of Astronomy has
16th Century maps, globes, and mathematical and astronomical instruments of the
kind Matteo Ricci introduced to China. It also has two of his maps. The site
uses frames, so this URL:
http://www.bo.astro.it/dip/Museum/english/index_15.html
should get you to the correct frameset. Choose #65 Geographical map by Ricci. That page should show you this thumbnail of part of a world map he drew on rice paper in 1602. Clicking on it will display a larger (157K) image, well worth the wait.
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Carta Geografica Completa di tutti i Regni del Mondo
Complete Geographical Map of all the Regions of the World
by Matteo Ricci
These are two of the six panels, showing the west coast of Africa on the left and the east coast of South America on the right.
Tip| Right-clicking will let you set the large version as the wallpaper on your PC's desktop.
Matteo Ricci also used maps to explain Earth's position in the solar system. This map, from the 1993 the Library of Congress exhibit about the Vatican, shows the continuing influence of astrology in Ricci's Europe. Clicking on it here or there will display a larger (100K) version.
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Astronomy map by Matteo Ricci
Yet another world map by Matteo Ricci survived only in copies made later. Clicking on this detail will show you a larger (324K) version, well worth the wait. According to the catalogue, "Although East Asia--and China in particular--is represented clearly and with scientific precision, nevertheless several of China's own cartographers, writing independently of the court, criticized the configuration as an insult to China's centrality."
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The world around 1600 according to Matteo Ricci
Matteo Ricci was born in Macerata and educated in Rome
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map of central Italy
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map of India and China
showing the missionary journey of Matteo Ricci
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1552 - 1610
