Ancient Egypt and Libya with the Mouths of the Nile Map, 1818

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An original copper engraved map, uncolored, of ancient Egypt and Libya, from the Cyrenaica coast in the west to Sinai, … Read more An original copper engraved map, uncolored, of ancient Egypt and Libya, from the Cyrenaica coast in the west to Sinai, the Golfe Arabique and Palestine as far north as Tyr in the east, and from the Mediterranean south to the cataracts. The Bouches du Nil are named branch by branch, among them the Bolbitine, Phatmetic, Mendesian and Tanitic mouths, and the valley is traced through Memphis and the Pyramides, Hermopolis, Abydus, Syene and Elephantine. Alexandrie and Canope stand on the coast, Cyrene and Barce in the Cyrenaica, and the Temple de Jupiter Hammon in the desert. Dotted tracks cross the eastern desert to Berenice on the Red Sea coast. The cartouche at left reads Carte de l'Egypte et de la Libye, dressée pour l'intelligence de l'histoire ancienne de Rollin, par d'Anville, Géographe ord. re du Roi. The plate is numbered Pl. 2. above the upper right corner. The block headed Echelles gives four bars: Milles des Romains, évalués 760 Toises, Stades des Grecs, dont 8 font un Mille, Schœnes de la Basse Egypte, selon Artemidore and Lieues Francaises, de 3000 Pas Géométriques. No engraver is named on the sheet. The plate comes from the Atlas de Géographie Ancienne, published in Paris in 1818 by Ledoux et Tenré and printed by Didot le jeune to accompany the works of Charles Rollin (1661 to 1741), the French historian whose Histoire ancienne the map was drawn to illustrate. The title page states that the atlas was engraved after the original maps of Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697 to 1782). Its table of plates carries a foreword signed by Ambroise Tardieu, géographe-graveur, who writes that the maps were copied with religious fidelity and that, charged with reviewing the proofs, he had only negligences and defects of execution to correct. Condition: A deeper irregularity along the bottom edge. Light uneven toning, browner toward the edges. Marked handling soiling along all four edges. Foxing over much of the margin. Slight wear at the top right corner. Several larger brown marks. Center fold as issued. This is an original antique map, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. See less