An extremely rare and curious map of the Holy Land by an anonymous Dutch cartographer. Only three examples could be identified, these are found in the National Library of Israel (PAL 211), the American Geographical Society at the University of Wisconsin and Det Kongelige Bibliotek, Denmark.

Laor lists the map under the chapter of anonymous and unidentified maps. It records the Promised Land, the route of the Exodus and the description of Paradise. He describes it thus: ‘The shoreline runs from ‘Tripoli’ as far as the Nile Delta. Shows the distribution of the Tribes on both sides of the Jordan. Offshore, three sailing vessels are depicted, the biggest one showing Jonah being thrown to the whale. In the upper-right corner, an illustration showing Adam and Eve in paradise below the apple tree. Other biblical illustrations scattered over the map, f.i., the passage through the Red Sea, Moses receiving the Tablets of the law on Mount Sinai and above it the name of God in Hebrew lettering, the Jews dancing around the golden calf, the Jews adoring the snake, etc.’

The map recalls Abraham Ortelius’ map first published in 1570, itself drawn from Tilleman Stella, 1552. Refer Broecke 170-172 (Stella-Ortelius); refer Karrow pp. 72-5, 502-3; Laor 909; Sluys, ‘Het Land van de Bijbel’.