Visscher Terra Sancta sive Promissionis

Spectacular Dutch period map of the Holy Land in full original hand colouring by Nicholas Visscher I.

Oriented to the West, and divided among the Tribes of Israel on both sides of the Jordan. The shore line runs from Sidon to Egypt. The Kishon River connects Haifa Bay to the Lake of Tiberias. Decorated along the top with the title surrounded by a garland supported by 6 cherubs. At the bottom center, is an inset of the encampment of the Tribes in the desert surrounding the Tabernacle, flanked by Moses and Aaron. In the lower right corner is the Visscher family emblem represented by two fishermen.

Of all the Dutch mapmakers, the maps produced by the Visscher family are always very difficult to date as none of their atlases were date. Consequently only the dates on the individual maps provide some indication of the publication date. Additionally some but not all of the atlases contained indexes and this assist in establishing a date as the conents varied from one to another edition. This map by Nicholas Visscher I the only son of Claez Jansz Visscher, although dated 1659 and was included for the first time in Atlas Contractus Orbis Terraum Praecipua ac Novissimas Completectens Tabula, after 1677. 

Reference; Koeman III Vis 8 p.164 Map 81.