Americae Nova descriptio

Around 1584, Pieter van den Keere fled religious persecution in Ghent (now Belgium) and sought refuge in London.

His sister, Colette van den Keere (View Record (#113)), also relocated to London, where she married renowned mapmaker Jodocus Hondius (View Record (#18), View Record (#80), View Record (#82), View Record (#114), View Record (#123), View Record (#126), #~253 ~and View Record (#272)) in 1587.

During his time in London, Pieter apprenticed as an engraver under his brother-in-law.

In 1593, both van den Keere and Hondius left London and moved to Amsterdam, where they continued to collaborate on cartographic and engraving projects.

This map, engraved by Abraham Goos, van den Keere's nephew, is part the 1614 series of folio-size maps of the four continents, distinguished by their decorative borders.

Its cartographic details are based on Jodocus Hondius's 1606 map of America.

Like many maps of the early 17th century, it reflects the period's evolving geographic knowledge while retaining notable inaccuracies, such as the exaggerated bulge of Virginia's east coast, an overextended width of both North and South America, the depiction of the speculative Straits of Anian, and the enigmatic "unknown southern continent" (Terra Australis Incognita).

The map is known in the following six states:

• 1614:

Tierra del Fuego attached to the southern continent--1614 date.

• 1618: Tierra del Fuego is an

island.

• 1631: Van Den Keere impr

• int replaced with Per Nicolaum Io.

Visscher.

Anno 1631.

• 1633: Date updated to 1633

• 1636: Date updated to 1636

• 1652: Staten Land is now and

island at the top of South America and the date is updated to 1652.

The decorative border depicts portraits of town views and explorer portraits along the top and bottom edges.

Along the top edge are Havana (Cuba), Mexico City, Cusco (Peru), Pomeiooc (Virginia), Carolina (Florida) and portraits of Christophorus Columbus...; Americus Vesputius...; Along the bottom edge includes are town views Santo Domingo, Phernambuco (Brazil) Silver mines of Potosi (Peru), Cartagena de India (Colombia), the island of St Jacob and portratis of Ferdinandis Magellanus...; Franciscus Dracus...; Thomas Candish...; Olivarius A.

Noort….

Inset map shows north pole: Polus Arcticus.