Rare 17th century map of Australia to go on show in Canberra - ABC Online

Updated October 09, 2013 11:58:35

One of the rarest maps in the world, a 17th century depiction of New Holland, will go on display for the first time in Canberra after being forgotten for a century.

The large-scale map, Archipelagus Orientalis, sive Asiaticus (the Eastern and Asian archipelago), was created in 1663 by master cartographer for the Dutch East India Company, Joan Blaeu.

It was used by Captain James Cook to complete the mapping of Australia in 1770 and was the first to detail sightings of Tasmania by Abel Tasman’s crew aboard the Zeehaen in 1642.

"It is the map on which all subsequent maps of New Holland are based," said National Library of Australia Council chair Ryan Stokes.

The library acquired the fragile map after it was uncovered three years ago in a storage facility in Sweden.

"The fact it survived at all is remarkable, and probably owes much to the fact no-one knew it existed for about a century," Mr Stokes said.

Four conservators are working full-time to stabilise the map so it can feature in the Mapping Our World: Terra Incognita to Australia exhibition opening at the National Library next month.

The exhibition will feature many of the world's greatest maps, including treasures from the British Library, the Vatican, and the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.

"It will be the first time many of these maps have been seen in the southern hemisphere," Mr Stokes said.

Mapping Our World: Terra Incognita to Australia, opens at the National Library of Australia on November 7. It is a free exhibition however bookings are essential.

Topics: library-museum-and-gallery, history, act, canberra-2600

First posted October 09, 2013 11:18:48