We Solved The Mermaid And Flying Saucers Mystery in an old map…
Authored by Diego Gutierrez via map Americae Sive Quartae Orbis Partis Nova Et Exactissima Descriptio
The map Americae Sive Quartae Orbis Partis Nova Et Exactissima Descriptio has been created in 1562 by cartographer Diego Gutiérrez.
It depicts various sea monsters and land animals, some of which are considered unusual or weird, extracted from myths and legends.
Among the sea monsters featured on the map are mermaids, sea serpents, and giant crabs.
On the land, the map shows elephants, camels, monkeys, and even a unicorn in South America, and Patagonian giants.
Other oddities include a person riding a crocodile, a half-human half-goat creature, and a group of cannibals roasting a human leg.
#### About the Map
The map “Americae Sive Quartae Orbis Partis Nova Et Exactissima Descriptio” was created in 1562 by Spanish cartographer Diego Gutirrez and Flemish artist Hieronymus Cock. It is an ornate geographical map of the Americas, encompassing the eastern coast of North America, the entire Central and South America, and parts of the western coasts of Europe and Africa.
#### Depictions on the Map
The map features numerous artistic flourishes, including:
-Coats of Arms: The map includes the coats of arms of three rival powers.
-Amazon River: It depicts a snake-like Amazon River that winds across the northern part of South America.
-Sea Monsters and Mermaids: The map includes depictions of mermaids and mythical monsters at sea.
-Other Fanciful Depictions: Additionally, the map features fanciful depictions of parrots, monkeys, huge sea creatures, Brazilian cannibals, Patagonian giants, and an erupting volcano in central Mexico.
#### Significance of the Map
Earliest Scale Wall Map: “Americae Sive Quartae Orbis Partis Nova Et Exactissima Descriptio” is the earliest scale wall map of the New World and the first to use the name “California”.
Geographical Features: It features geographical features such as the Amazon River system and Lake Titicaca.
The map provides a richly illustrated view of America, filled with images and names that had been popularized in Europe following Columbus’s 1492 voyage of discovery. It includes images of parrots, monkeys, mermaids, fearsome sea creatures, cannibals, Patagonian giants, and more, complementing numerous settlements, rivers, mountains, and capes named.
Did the mermaids have a flying saucer in their hands? It\’s more likely that they were holding a mirror, as they seem to be arranging their hair to make themselves more beautiful and attractive…
It is important to note that during the Age of Discovery, cartographers often added fantastical elements to their maps, either to make them more visually appealing or to indicate that certain areas were uncharted and thus potentially dangerous. Many of the creatures depicted on this map were not based on actual observations but rather on folklore and hearsay. While some of the animals shown, such as the elephant and the camel, were known to European audiences at the time, others, like the unicorn, were purely mythical.
Nonetheless, the map reflects the curiosity and fascination of Europeans with the unknown and unexplored regions of the world.
