|Heinrich Bünting (1545-1606)
“Die gantze Welt in ein Kleberblat …,” from Itinerarium Sacrae Scriptura … Magdeburg, 1581. Courtesy Mapping Boston
|Heinrich Bünting (1545-1606)
“Die gantze Welt in ein Kleberblat …,” from Itinerarium Sacrae Scriptura … Magdeburg, 1581. Courtesy Mapping Boston Foundation.
Using a cloverleaf to depict the world, this cartographic curiosity reflects the traditional Medieval world view, with each leaf representing one of the three continents — Asia, Europe, and Africa. Jerusalem is clearly marked at their intersection.
This Venn-like diagram was one of several whimsical diagrams included in a book, which was essentially the Bible rewritten as an illustrated travel book. The author, a professor of theology in Hannover, Germany, used the trefoil or cloverleaf coat of arms of his native city to represent the world, making this map more a statement of civic pride than a serious attempt at cartography.