This is an example of the desirable FIRST PLATE of two done by Abraham Ortelius on the Turkish Empire. It was published in the highly important first modern atlas entitled ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’. The plate was used from 1570 to the 1579 edition when the copperplate was replaced by a similar map of the same title. It is based on Ortelius’ own map of Asia which in turn was derived from Giacomo Gastaldi’s great map of 1561. The dominating feature of the map is the Arabian Peninsula. The coastline is reasonably accurate as trade was very important in this region but internal topographical knowledge is largely conjecture or classical in origin. The Red Sea is labelled the ‘Mare de Mecca’ whereas the Persian Gulf is named the ‘Mare Elcatif’. The map is beautifully decorated with sailing ships, a sea monster in the Black Sea and an ornate title cartouche. An analysis of the Latin text on verso reveals that this example comes from either the 1574 or 1575 editions. Al Ankary (2001) p. 140 pl. 16 (incorrectly stating this to be the second plate); Al-Qasimi (1999) p. 25; Tibbetts (1978) no. 35; Van den Broecke (1996) no. 168.