A New Map of the World from the latest observations revised by I.Senex most humbly inscribed to his Royal Highness George Prince of Wales.

C1720 John Senex’s beautifully engraved and embellished world map. Superb double hemisphere world map, with the title cartouche elaborately surrounded by allegorical figures representing the four continents. The figure of Europe is portrayed as a land of abundance, while Africa is depicted wearing the elephant headdress and holding the scorpion of the desert sands. Asia the seat of Religion, carries a smoking censer in one hand and a Balsam branch in the other while America is depicted as a robed female Amazonian with a headdress and bow. On the right of the armillary sphere is the mythological figure of Hercules depicted wearing a lion skin and holding an olive wood club. On the left is the figure of Hermes the patron of boundaries and of travellers shown wearing his broad-brimmed hat.

Australia and New Zealand are shown according to the discoveries made by Abel Tasman on his first and second voyage in 1642-1644. In the large sphere America’s north west coast is uncharted and California is shown as an island, whereas in the smaller lower left sphere, California is shown correctly, as a peninsula. 

From Senex, A New General Atlas.