POLONIAE finitimarumque locorum descriptio, 1570–92

Vaclovas Grodeckis (original mapmaker, in 1558) – Abraham Ortelius (geographer/publisher): “POLONIAE finitimarumque locorum descriptio, Auctore Wenceslao Godreccio, Polono,” (A depiction of Poland, its borders and places) from “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum” initially published 1570 in Antwerp at 19.5 x 14.5 inches / 38 x 50.5 cm., but later published in many different sizes, and acknowledged as the first atlas. The 1592 Swaen and The Maphouse maps have Latin text on verso, a State Four. According to van den Broecke “in 1587, the Silesian town Pitzen has been added, on the upper Prosna River, located on Polish territory.

States of “POLONIAE “finitimarumque locorum descriptio”
Atlas language: L = Latin; D = Dutch; G = German; F = French; S = Spanish

#1: (published 1570 L&D, ’71 L&D,’72 G&F, ’73 L, ’74 L, ’75 L) (1,755 copies, total) has two unnamed small rivers in Pomerania (running near “Lumburg” and near “Stargart” near the Baltic sea which are (correctly) unconnected, though traces are visible of erasure of a connecting river.

#2: (published 1579 L, ’80 G, ’81 F) (1,250 copies, total)
a) beginning 1579 the two rivers mentioned in #1 have (incorrectly) been connected.
b) town names “Sluchou” and “Greiffenburg” in Pomerania now read “Sluchon” and “Greiffonburg.”
c) river name “Gwda” is changed to “Girda.”
d) “Frydberg” (left middle) is changed to “Frydborg.”

#3: (published 1584 L) (750 copies)
a) beginning 1584 “Kynsberg” (left middle) is changed to “Kynsborg.”
b) The ship has diagonal hatching from lower left to upper right on top of the vertical hatching.

#4: (published 1587 F, ’88 S, ’92 L) (1,075 copies, total)
in 1587, the Silesian town “Pitzen” (today’s Byczyna) was added.

Town                 Date Added or Changed

or River (fl.)                                                                     

Frydberg                 1579 changed to Frydborg

Greiffenburg                  1579 changed to Greiffonburg

Gwda fl.                 1579 changed to Girda fl.

Izdbicza                  1584 changed to Izdbieza

Kynsberg                  1584 changed to Kynsborg

Pitzen                                   added 1587

Ratiuz                  1584 changed to Ratuiz

Rimanow                 1575 changed to Pimanow

Sluchou                  1579 changed to Sluchon

Tĸczin                  1579 changed to Tĸcziu

Vadowice                 1575 changed to Vadonice

Data from www.orteliusmaps.com

Orteliusmaps.com has assigned map quadrants to every town and river labeled on this map. But where is an image of the map with quadrants? From an email received December 12, 2019: “Dear Mr. Kapochunas, I regret to tell you that images of quadrants are not available on my website, nor in my books. Kind regards, Marcel van den Broecke”