Preview
Identifier
metapth251649
Description
Ortelius’ Theatrum included not only a world map and maps for the continents but also some of the first printed regional maps of the New World. The only one to include a part of the area that became Texas was the map La Florida. It appeared on the same sheet that also included a map titled Peruviae Auriferae Regionis Typus (northwestern South America and Panama) and a map titled Guastecan (northeastern Mexico, south of Texas). Ortelius credited the Florida map to Jerónimo de Chaves (1523-ca.1574), an important Spanish cartographer and cosmographer at the Casa de Contratáción (House of Trade) in Seville that kept the padron real (master map of the world) and controlled Spanish chart making and cartographic knowledge for the New World.1 La Florida contains much information from Hernando de Soto’s entrada into what became the U.S. Southeast by way of earlier maps by Chaves and the so-called ‘Soto Map,” by royal cosmographer Alonso de Santa Cruz.2 It includes, of course, the Mississippi (Rio del Spiritu Santo) but perhaps along the coast of the area that became Texas, the Rio del Oro (River of Gold), the Rio de Pescadores (River of Fishermen), a Costa Bara, and the Rio Escondido (possibly the Rio Grande). West of the Mississippi are several villages “Xualatino”, “Ayx”, “Lacane”, and “Nisoona” -- perhaps Hasinai Caddo or their allies mentioned by Luis Moscoso who continued to explore that area after de Soto died and was secretly buried in the Mississippi. [Gift of Virginia Garrett]
Archival Date
1584
Location
132/2
Collection Name
Cartographic Connections
Collection Number
00052
Publisher
University of Texas at Arlington Libraries
Original Format
Map
File Format
JPG
Rights
Any use of content downloaded or printed from this site is limited to non-commercial personal or educational use, including fair use as directed by U.S. copyright laws. For more information or for reproduction requests, please contact Special Collections
Subjects
Florida; Amazon
Item Type
image
Subjects
Florida; Amazon