Surviving fragment of the world map of Piri Reis (1513)

Commentary
Surviving fragment of the world map of Piri Reis (1513)
Accession number: 
No. H 1824
Collection: 
Library of Topkapi Palace Museum

Ottoman Turkish portolan charts first appear at the beginning of the sixteenth century, starting with the extant works of the famous naval captain Muḥyiddin Piri Reis (1470–1553). His best-known work is a world map made in 1513, of which we only have a fragment. It reflects European discoveries in the Americas. Piri Reis claimed to have used a large variety of sources, including Portuguese maps and a map ‘of the Western parts’ drawn up by Columbus.

Commentary. Philipp Nothaft (May-June 2019)