The World in a Cloverleaf: A World Map from 1581
In 1581, the medieval cartographer and Protestant theologian Heinrich Bünting created a symbolic map of the world that adorned his book Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae (Travel Through Holy Scripture). Hand-colored and shaped like a three-leaf clover, the map put Jerusalem at its center, highlighting its central role in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. From that center flowed three continents—Europe, Africa, and Asia—each surrounded by swirling waters teeming with ships, mermaids, and sea monsters. Then, off to one side, we find a barren “America,” otherwise known as the “New World.”
The three-leaf clover design likely symbolizes the Christian trinity, while also paying homage to the clover design found on the coat of arms of Bünting’s native hometown, Hanover. Beyond the map featured above, Bünting also designed some other notably unconventional maps. Take, for example, a map where Europe takes the form of a virgin queen, or a map of Asia that’s shaped like the winged horse Pegasus. You can view a copy of the Itinerarium Sacrae Scripturae online.
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