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Ann: Taqwim-i Tarikhi

(Historical Calendar) (1450)

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Taken from: The Maps Are the Message: Mehmet II's Patronage of an 'Ottoman Cluster' by Karen Pinto.

 

Taqwim-i Tarikhi (Historical Calendar) was prepared during the reign of Murat II (1421-1451) and contains possibly the earliest extant Ottoman world map. (Chester Beatty Library). Note however that the sea on the right is the Mediterranean; so Europe is not really on the map.

Like most Islamic maps south is on top and the southern continent is Africa with the East African coast running West to East instead of North to South. The enormous mountain in the upper right part of the circle is the Mountain of the Moon. From where a double Nile runs towards the Mediterranean. The tower in between its two mouths is the Lighthouse of Alexandria dating from classical times and which was then already in ruins. This double Nile is only found on this type of maps.

 

 

Taken from: The Chester Beatty Library; a catalogue of the turkish manuscripts and miniatures by V. Minorsky.

 

F12b-13a. Explanation of the Seven Climes of the World.

First clime: burnt soil, down to Serendib (1); the inhabitants are black, ugly, naked and long-haired; lions and dragons are numerous …..

The description is illustrated by a circular Map which must have been copied from an earlier map from Mongol times as it mentions Khanbaliq; Mongol name for Peking.

Mistake in East Africa: Saqaliba (Slavic people) is written where Sofala has to be.

F16b. A brief description of the seven climes and a table indicating the direction of the Qibla.

 

Very similar maps are found on my webpages:

- Miscellany of scientific works, one part based on Zij-i Ilkhani of Al Tusi. (Tables of the year 1309)

- Compiled for) Padshah Adil Aran Khan: Collective ms. Leiden Or. 563 with astronomical and medical tables (1390) (Persia)

- Zain al-Manjam ibn Sulaiman Qonavi:(Jadawil fi Al-Nujum wa Al-Akhtiyarat) (Tables of stars and Options) (1371) Turkey.

This map also somehow resembles the map in the Mudjmal al -Tawarikh wa-l-qisas (1126) as well as the 16th century one of Ali Mustapha al Galliapoli (Turkey).

 

(1) Serendib in Sumatra or Sri Lanka.