Highly decorative 17th century map of Arabia

BLAEU, Johannes.

Arabia.
Amsterdam, 1665, Dutch text edition. Original colour with gold highlights. 420 x 535mm.

The very first issue of this fine map of Arabia which, due to the lack of new information, still depicts the peninsula divided into the three Roman Provinces, using the Ptolemaic names: ' Arabia Felix', 'Arabia Petraea' and 'Arabia Deserta'.
'Arabia Felix', Latin for 'Loyal Arabia' covers the majority of the Peninsula, even though the term relates to the comparatively fertile regions of present day Asir and Yemen. 'Arabia Petraea' (Stony Arabia) is located in North West Arabia and was a frontier province of imperial Rome. 'Arabia Deserta' refers to the desert interior, which was populated by nomadic tribes who frequently invaded richer lands, of which the cartographic detail is mostly imaginary.

TIBBETTS: 108; KOEMAN: Bl 57.
Stock ID : 19609