THE PRE-SIEGE MAPS OF MALTA

1536- 1563

by

Maurice Agius-Vadala and Albert Ganado

TENTH AN NIVERSARY
1976-1986

Fig.1 Piri Reis. Manuscript m ap of the Maltese Islands from Kitab.j.Bahriye, a portolan of the
1S20s.

Fig.2 Battista Agnese. Manuscript n autical chart of the Maltese Islands. 1554.
(By courtesy of th e National Maritime Museum , Greenwich).
 INTRODUCTION

Hundreds of volumes have been written on the history of Malta, but practically no attention has been paid in past centuries to
the history of maps of the Maltese archipelago. A short list of maps of Malta was attem pted by Francesco Paolo Smitmer in the
eighteenth century, a nd by Louis De Boisgelin at the beginning of the nin eteenth. It was only almost sixty years ago that the
first serious study of the cartography of Malta was published, as part of a larger work, by Roberto Almagi<l, in Momimenta
Italiae Cartographica (19 29). However, apart fro m being practically limited to the early maps of the sixteenth century, the
section on Malta is far from exhaustive. Mention must also be made of the lists of Malta maps included in the works, among
others, of W. Ruge an d R.V. Tooley.

Since the Second World War, the history of cartography has acquired a new dimension and, in recent years, monumental
works have been published both on th e cartography of Sardinia and on that of Cyprus. A book on the maps of Crete is also in
the making.

It is now since m any years that the auth ors of this article have been working on the history of the maps of Malta, but th e
undertaking is still far from completion. This is mainly due to the fact that the number of maps of the island that have
appeared in prin t b etween 1536 and the mid-nineteenth century is out of all proportion not only to the small size of Malta, but
also when compa red to the number of maps of the other Mediterranean isla nds.

Well over six hundred maps and plans of Malta have appeared in just over three hundred years. Th is large number is
accounted for by th e presence of the Order of st. John in Malta (1530-1798), the Siege of 1565, the building of th e n ew city of
Valletta, the intensive and p rogressive fortification of the island a nd the imp ortan ce of the harbours it has to offe r.

It was not so in classical and medieval cartography. There is n o separate map of Malta in Ptolemy's Geographia (A.D. 150),
although prominence was given by him to the sanctuaries dedicated to Her cules and Jun o. The island is not eve n indicated on
the Tabula Peutingeriana , a Roman route map of th e fourth century. AI-Idrisi (1099- 1180), the Arab cartographe r of Roger the
Norm an, depicts th e Maltese Isla nds in his map of Sicily and neighbouring lands, but he merely says that Malta is a large
island with a safe harbour which open s to the east. Early sea-charts and portolans describe the position of Malta and its
distan ce from major Mediterranean ports, but they do not include a separate map of th e Island.

A porto Ian or sailing direction of the Med iterranea n known to contain a separate map of Malta,(See Fig. 1) is the Turkish
Kitab-i-Bahriye (Book on Navigation) by Pir i Reis (1465/70-1554), renowned Turkish corsair, and later commander of several
units of the Turkish Imperial Fleet. The First Version of this portolan was written out in 1520 by Mehmet Reis, one-time
helmsman of Sinam Pa sha, and th erefo re quite familiar with Maltese and Gozita n waters. Closely following medieval portolans,
this map has no longitude or latitude, nor any distan ce-scale. Similar to Venetian contemporary charts, a large circle is drawn
round the isla nd and pro jecting radii indicate eight wind directions. Of interest is the use of conventions then current, such as:
settlem ents are indicated by red lines, deserted spots by black lines, rugged and rocky places b y black dots; shores and
beaches by red dots; shoals by little crosses, etc. The cities of Mdina (Malta) and Rabat (Gozo) are shown on hills. The map,
oriented west to the top, is very crude indeed, but it is of considerable cartographic interest, as it is one of the earliest known
maps of the Maltese Islands. In 1526, a more elegant version of Kitab-i-Bahriye, known as the Second Version , was presented
to th e Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent.

Some portolans dealt only with islands, hence the name Isolari. Among the best known are those by Cristoforo Buondelmonti
and Enrico Martelli, in the fifteenth century; Bartolomeo da li Sonetti and Antonio Millo, in the sixteenth. Before Abrah am
Ortelius produced the first printed modern atlas, of uniform size and contents, in 1570, there was in Venice a prolific maker of
manuscript atlases: Battista Agnese, of Genoese origin. During a long period of activity (1514-1564) he produced about sixty
atlases, outstanding for draughtsmansh ip and colouring. One of these atlases, signed and dated 1554, contains a m a p of Malta,
in green, yellow and red colours (See Fig. 2). This jewel of a map is characteristic of his work and of his revival of the custom
of drawing land-forms again st a background of parallels and meridians.

The Agnese map, lik e the first known printed m ap of Malta by Johannes Quintinus, is of the circular type. In the same style,
we find an anonymous Venetian woodcut map, the maps by Giacomo Gastaldi and Henricus Petri, as well as a series of maps
of the Siege of 1565, published by the Palombis.

Malta, on the other ha nd, is fish-shaped on the Lafreri map of 1551, more in keeping with the true image of the island. Most of
th e cartographers th at came after Lafreri, followed his model: they include Ortelius (1570), Tommaso Porcacchi (1572), Matteo
Perez d'Aleccio (1582) , as well as most of the map-makers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.The group of maps
which belong to the Dillingen-Marucelliana model (which are examined in this article), and a couple of siege maps, have an
unusual shape which is neith er circular nor fish-shaped.

Most of the maps of Malta are copper-engraved, but a few early ones are woodcuts, as will be shown later.

Before 1570, most maps of all parts of the world were published in loose sheets. This explains why the rate of survival of these
early maps is so .low. Of the fourteen maps described in this article, four are known in a single example and only two
examples are known to exist of th ree others. All the Malta maps wh ich precede Ortelius are rare: some are extemely rare.

The development of the Malta map throughout the span of three centuries makes a fascinating study. In this article only the
printed m aps pr oduced between 1536 and 1563 - that is,the pre-siege maps - are being examined and discussed in some
detail. It is no more than an introduction to a vast subject.
 _ _ _ _I

Fig.3 Johannes Quintinus. Woodcut map of the Maltese Islands from the book INSVLAE MELlTAE
DESCRIPTIO .... published in Lyon in 1536.
1. JOHANNES QUINTINUS - MELITA 1536.
Author and date. This woodcut map is unsigned but it appeared in the first printed description of Malta, written by Abbe Jean
Quintin (1500·1 561), and p ublished in Lyon by Sebastian Gryphius in 1536, entitled: INSVLAE MELITAE DESCRIPTIO EX
COMMENTARlIS RERVM QVOTIDIANARVM. Quintinus was a Chaplain of the Order of St. John, of Burgundian nationality,
conversant with the use of n autical in struments. He came to Malta with the Knights in 1530 and the map was probably drawn
by him. It is the first printed m ap of Malta.

A copper engraving of the map was made 64 years later and published in: Italiae Illustratae ..." (Frankfurt, 1600 - second
edition, 1605). Another version with the title Insulae / MELITA & GOZO in a wide decorative border appeared in Thesaurus
Antiquitatum et Historiarum Siciliae by J.G. Graevius, published by Pieter van der Aa (Leyden, 1725, Vol.XV), who reissued the
map in La galerie agreable du m onde (Leyden, 1729, Vol. 38, pI.32).

Subject. A map of the Maltese group of islands, also showing parts of the N. African coast, of Sicily, of Italy, of Morea (Greece),
with the sea distances greatly reduced, but meant to indicate Malta's position in relation to those places. Malta is roun d· shaped,
with consequential distortions of the north-western parts. It is a primitive map derived perhaps from a nautical chart, but fairly
accurate in depicting the island's main characteristics; it may have served as a model for three other maps that will be describ­
ed further down (nosA,5 and 11).

Legend. The map has no separate title, but MELITA, COMINO and GOZO are inscribed inside each respective island. Place­
names, in Latin or Italian, are written next to Fort St. Angelo, Marsa garden, Mdina, and a church at st. Paul's Bay. Churches
are depicted on Ponta S. Maria (Sliema) and Ponta S. Ermo (Valletta), and towards the south in the direction of the parishes of
Bir Miftuh and St. Gregory (Zejtun ). Other features: the Castello in Gozo; huildings indicating Borgo, Zabbar, Zejtun, Siggiewi
and Zebbug; gallows on Monte delle Forche (Ricasoli): windmill and lime-kiln(?) on Pietra Longa (Senglea); spring at Marsa; har ­
bours and landing-places emphasised by dotting. Also shown is MARSA HORTVS, the best estate in Malta, which was in 1530
granted in fief by Charles V to the Viceroy of Sicily.

Size: 140 x 195 mm. (1600 ed. 137 x 192 mm; 1725 ed. 174 x 207 mm. )

Geographical details.

(a) Orientation: South-west at top. Com pass directions given :

M(aestrale).
t (North), G(regale), + (East), S(cirocco), O(stro), L(ibeccio), P(onente),
(b) Position. No graduation given, but in the text of his book Quintinus gave longitude and latitude of CIVITAS (Mdin a) as
38°45' and 34°40' respectively, after Ptolemy.

(c) Scale. None given, but it appears to be - 1:192,626

(d) Relief features. The map m akes a crude but effective effort t60 mow that the hilly areas are all in the southern pa rt of the
island, and that the capitals of Malta and Gozo were bu ilt on hills. Beaches are dearly and accurately shown at Menqa
Basin (Marsa), the S.E. extension of Marsa, French Creek, and Marsaxlokk, Salina and Mistra Bays. This depiction m ight well
have a socio-economic connection with the maritime practice then prevailing of frequently hauling up vessels on the beaches
and tarring their bottom (spalmare).

Other particulars. The sea is rendered by short lines. Sea monsters and vignettes of shipping of various sizes. Flag of the Order
of St. John at Fort st. Angelo, at Tripoli and on a galleon between Gozo and Sicily.

Watennark. None. Wiremarks 30 mm. wide. (1729 reissue: fleur-de·lys).

Collections include:

Rabat Parish Church Museum, Malta

Gozo Public Library

British Library, London (795.g.6(1)).

Biblioteca Casanatense, Roma (Misc. in 4° Vol.76 and VoL732)

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, MUnchen (4 ° ltaL353)

-
Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, Leiden (415.CA)

Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

 Fig.4 An tonio Lafreri 's map of Malta publish ed in 1551. The colouring, rather crude, is proba bly
con tem porary. {From a private collection}.

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2. ANTONIO LAFRERI MELITA Insula, quam hodie MALTAM
uocant... 15 51.
Auth or and da te. The imprint at bottom left corner: ANT. LAFRERI ROMAE 1551 gives us the name of the publisher, who ,
possibly, was also the engraver. Antoine Lafrery (151 2- 1577) was born at Orgelet (Burgundian diocese of Besan<;on) in 1513.
Around 1540 he settled in Rome and soon became a leading publisher. This copper-engraved map of Malta is on e of his
earliest cartographic production s; certainly, it is his first dated m ap. In 1551, a Turkish armada under Sin am Pasha and the
corsair Dragut sacked Gozo and carried off into slavery its whole population. Probably, Lafreri decided to cash in on the news­
value of th e event.
Subject. A map of Malta, with CVMINO, Cymintto and a fragment of Gau10s - Isola de Gozo. Its degree of a ccuracy suggests it
was based on an original survey. It n ames th e towns and villages, in cluding Besbout, Bobakra, B 'lmeftu, Me1eri, Raa1kibir,
Tartami, Xilouca: small circles are used to identify seven parishes and fourteen landing p laces; th e road system depicted is
extensive; some water courses are shown. The name MELEKA (Mellieha) stretches right across th e western part of the island,
embracing an area larger than what one would expect.
This m ap, on which the island is fish-sh aped, became the prototype not only for quite a number of siege maps, but also for
renown ed cartographers like Ortelius, Porcacchi and others. It must have been very popular in its heyday: five impressions are
known . It was copied faithfully by two Venetian publishers: Donato Bertelli (see m ap no. 3 infra), and Nicolo Nelli in 1565: its
fifty -one toponyms were used by several other map-makers.
Legend. The title-cum-legend, in n ine lines, is contained in a rectangular pan el at top, right of centre; it gives in Latin a short
geographical and h istorical description of Malta. Th e name of Ma lta is not repeated inside the isla nd as is normally done.
Size. 332 x 472 mm.
Geographical details.
(a) Orientation . South -west at top . Com pass wind directions are engraved in sea area: TRAMONTANA , LEVANTE,
MEZOGIORNO, PONENTE.
(b) Position. Given in the m argins as 35° of latitude an d 39 ° of longitude. The form er is incorrect by only one degree; as to

longitude, taking into consideration that ptolemy used a different prime m eridian (Canary Islands), instead of today's

Greenwich which is 20° m ore to the West, and that no astronomical observations could then be made but only

dead-reckoning, the discrepancy boils down to about 4°, which for those times may be considered negligible.

(c) Scale. It is given towar ds the bottom left corner in MIGLIA (miles - presumably the classical Milia passum, or thousand

p aces). The scale of the map is 1: 119, 822.

(d) Relief features. It is moderately successful in the representation of these features, with hills drawn in conical shapes of
varying sizes to denote heights and shaded on their righ t side.
Other p articulars. The sea is rendered by long, wavy lines. The prevalence of pitched roofs might be misleading. Fortified

towers are present at Naxxar, Mosta, San Pawl tat·Targa, Zejtun, Pietra Longa (Senglea) and at the tip of Sceberras. Other

features include: gallows on Monte delle forche: the Order 'S flag over St. Angelo; vipers and a scorpion at Cala de San Paolo;

wild rabbits on Comino; vignettes of galleons and galleys.

Watermark. It varies, according to the sequence of reissues, from a ladder, to an chor, fleur-de-lys, or star and d iam ond, always

enclosed in a circle, at times with a star above.

Collection s in clude:

Nation al Library, Malta Staatsbibliothek, Berlin (Kart. P 11 630).

Biblioteca Nazionale, Roma (II.150) Biblioteca de Palacio, Madrid (Map 438.46).

British Library, London (l. 115 and 24305.2). Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris (Ge. D.765 5).

3. (DONATO BERTELLI) - 11 uero disegno dell Isola d i Malta

secondo che al di de hogi con la Citta / Fortezze et Ville si tr oua... (n.d.)
Author an d date. The imprint at the b ottom of the legend reads: In Venecia alla libraria del .S. Marcho .D.B. These are the
initials of Donato Bertelli who carried on h is business of map-seller in Venice at the Sign of St. Mark. He flourished between
1558 and 1592. The fact that this copper-engraved map is a faithful copy of the Lafreri map of 1551, and the presence of three
groups of soldiers between Ghajn Tuffieha an d Mgarr, leads one to believe th at the map represents th e m ilitary events of 155 1,

-
although it might have been produced som e years later.
As the map is a cop y of Lafreri 's map, only the important differences need be pointed out.
Subject. - The names of the villages Balsan, Musta and Naxara are omitted, whilst a watch-tower and the name S. Eromo (sic)
now appear on Sceberras. Ras ic-Cirkewwa, Marfa and Comino are not marked as landing places.
Legend. - The title and legend in a rectangle at top righ t corner are in Italian . The geograp h ical description follows Lafreri, but
whilst the latter emphasises that the Knights held the Island with great glory against the attacks of the Turks, Bertelli writes
that "today they happily possess it", implying that the 1551 attack was a thing of the past.
Size - 292 x 430 m m .
Other particulars. The longitude shown by Lafreri is left out; the flag on St. Angelo and th e gallows are not shown; a winged
dragon is added at the site of st. Paul's shipwreck.
Watermark - Star in diamond in circle. This waterm ark h as been recorded on m aps dated b etween 1551 and 1579.
Collections include:
Private collection , Malta
British Library, London (243051.1)
Germanisches Nation almuseum, Niirnberg (Kapsel 1175 La.342)
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Anonymous map of the Maltese Islands probably publisheL: in 155 L

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(By courtesy of th e Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, Leiden).

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 4. Anonymous - ISOLA DI MALTA (1551?).
Author and date. This woodcut map has no imprint. It is an Italian production, but the map-maker is unknown. In 1910, a
Dutch firm (Frederick Muller & Cie) attributed the map to Giovanni Andrea Vavassori in one of its catalogues and dated it c.
1520. The renowned Roberto Almagiil placed it about 1550. Vavassori was a Venetian engraver and publisher who flourished
between 1516(?)-1559. Later, he seems to have worked in association with his brother(?) Alvise who had remained on his own
by 1566. He is known to have published seventeen maps. The Malta map has similarities with his signed maps in the
treatment of the sea area, the hatching of the coastline and the calligraphy, although the depiction of trees bears more
resemblance to Matteo Pagano 's map of Piedmont.

The concentration of vessels around Gozo and troops near the Castello as well as in the western parts of Malta are strong
indications that the map is another representation of Sinam Pasha's raid of 1551 and its publication may be aSSigned to that
.S year.
Legend. The title ISOLA DI MALTA is inscribed in the sea area along head, right of centre. GOZO, Comino, Comineto and Piper
are written on each respective island.

Subject. A map of the Maltese islands, depicting Malta in a more perfect circle than the Quintinus map. A small part of Sicily is
shown to indicate its distance from Malta as 60 milia. Sixteen place-names (excluding the names of the islands) are given in
Italian in the body of the map, including S. Caterina (Zejtun), the spring at Marsa, two gardens, Borgo nouo (today's Bormla)
and the chain between St. Angelo and Senglea Point. No defences are shown on the latter peninsula or on Mount Sceberras;
both were fortified in 1552. The outline of the S.E. coast is reasonably accurate, but the N.W. parts become quite
unrecognisable.

Size. 261 x 372 mm.

Geographical details
(a) Orientation. North at top. Compass directions written in sea area: TRAMONTANA , LEVANTE, MEZO GIORNO, PONENTE.

(b) Position. Longtitude and latitude are not given; however, the indication of Sicily and its distance from Malta helps to
position the island.

(c) Scale. None given. Map drawn to a scale of roughly 1: 134,000.

(d) Relief features. Quite arbitrary, being only intended to give a general idea of the hilly terrain prevalent in most of the
island. There seems to be a vague attempt at showing a rudimentary road system starting from Rabat and another starting
from Zejtun.

Other particulars. Several churches and village settlements are shown. Most buildings have pitched roofs. Trees depicted
include palm trees, cypresses and ground-hugging carobs. Cross on st. Angelo, symbolising perhaps the presence of the Order
of St. John. Two galleons are accompanying the fleet of galleys. The sea is rendered by groups of short, wavy lines.
Watennark. Venetian. Fleur·de·lys on one of the known copies; anchor in circle with star above in the other known copy,
similar to Briquet (Les filigranes , Leipzig, 1923) no.522, in use in 155l.

Collections:
Bibliotheek der Rijksuniversiteit, Leiden (P.300 n.45)

Germanisches Nationalmuseum Niirnberg (K.1175 La.343).

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Fig.6 Giacomo Gastaldi's map of the Maltese Islands engraved by Fabio Licinio, published c.lSS1­
(From a private collection).
 5. GIACOMO GASTALDI - ISOLA DE MALTA. (c.1551)
Author and da te. - Giacomo Gastaldi, known as the father of Italian cartography, was born at Villafranca in Piedmont around

1500. He was active in Venice from 1539 till his death in October 1566, and p roduced about 100 maps. The Malta map is

signed Giacomo di castaldi piamortese F.{ecit}. The engraver's imp rint reads: fabius licinius. Ex.{cidit}.

Internal evid ence proves that this copper-engraved m ap was made after 1545 (date of th e D'Omedes garden on Pietra Longa,

namely, Senglea peninsula) but prior to 1552 (date of construction of Forts St. Elmo and St. Michael). It was probably produced

on the occasion of Sinam Pasha 's raid of 155 1. If this dating is right, this would be the first Gastaldi map engraved by Licinio

(1520c-1565), preceding that of Piedmont dated 1556. Gastaldi relied for his woodcut engraved m ap s on Matteo Pagano; when

. he turned to copper-engraved maps, Licinio was h is constant collaborator, except for the map of Germany dated 1552 engraved
. by Enea Vico. Licin io also engraved Gastaldi's map of Corsica, although his name appears on a Sardinia map not signed by
Gastaldi.

Subject. Another round-shaped map of Malta, showing also GOZO, cam in, comineto and La Forfora . It is lavish in its depiction

of the island's north-east coastline, but crude and inaccurate, and niggardly in inland details; Almagiil attributed its origin to a

nautical chart, but this is doubtful. The representation of Mdina's original fortifications and main gate, as still protected by its

medieval barbican (subsequently rep eated by Giovanni Francesco Camocio, Mathias Zundt and Gian Francesco Abela) is most

remarkable. The Castel de Gozo, main objective of Sinam's raid, is also depicted.

Legend. The title ISOLA / DE / MALTA is inscribed across the island. A panel at bottom right corner carries this legend:

La detta isola e discosta dall'isola / de sicilia sesanta miglia uerso / ostra. The thirty-three toponyms include: borgo, sa. catarina,

(Mount)S. Eremo, El Rebato, zebir.

Size. 310 x 208 mm.

Geographical Details
(a) Orientation. West at top. Radii projecting from an imaginary centre indicate north with an arrowhead, east with a cross,

O{stro) a nd P{onente).

(b) Position. Longitude and latitude are n ot given, but MARE DI SICILIA to the north a nd MARE DE AFRICA to the south

indicate the island's position.

(c) Scale. A scala de miglia at top right corner measures 45 mm. for 5 miles. The map is drawn to the scale of 1: 138,847.

(d) Relief features. Contours are very arbitrary. Hills are shaded on their southern side.

Oth er particulars. The Order 's flag is flyin g over Mdina (Malta citta), and a bi-coloured penna nt over Fort St. Angelo (castello).

Other d etails shown are: th e catena closing French Creek, the spring and garden at Marsa, a large spring east of Mdina and Gita

noua. When the Knigh ts lost Tripoli in 1551, it was suggested that a fortified n ew city be erected o n Mount Sceberras. The sea

area is stippled, unlike the rendering on p revious maps. In many respects, this map is similar to the anonymous Venetian map

just described.

Watermark. Ven etian. A sitting siren with two dolphin tails in circle, with star on top (Beans, G.H. Some sixteenth century

watermarks foun d in maps prevalent in the "IATO" atlases. Jenkintown, 1938, no.33).

Collections include:

Private collection, Malta

Biblioteca Alessandrina, Roma

Biblioteca Casanatense , Rom a (Rari 1131, n.42)

British Lib rary, London (C.7.e.1.118)

Bibliotheq ue Nationale, Paris (Ge.B.1660).

Harvard College Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts (51 -254 7 pt).

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Fig.7 AnonYIi.uus map of Malta published c.lS60 to highlight the projected fortified city
on Mount Sceberras.
(By courtesy of the Biblioteca Marucelliana, Florence).
6. Anonymous. MALTA (n.d.)
(The Dillingen Map)
Author and date, Although this copper·engraving is in the style of maps of other Mediterranean islands, nothing is known of its
authorship, It is probably a Roman production. It is not easy to reach definite conclusions about this map as the writers have
not had the opportunhY to examine the original, existing in one copy only, It is possible that this is a proof state from which
the next map is derived; alternatively, the next map was a state previous to this, amended to produce this map , Whichever the
case, this map (in its first or second state) served as a prototype for a series of maps, the latest of which appeared in 1565 to
represent the Siege. Internal evidence indicates that it was produced in the early 1550s,
Subject. A map of the island of Malta, showing also Cumino, Cyminto, Piper 1 Folfola an,d a small section of Gaulos 1 Isola di
gozzo, Sundry tiny islands off the northern coast seem to have been put in as an afterthought. Although the island has a
distorted shape, it is clearly based on the Lafreri map of 1551 , of which it gives practically all the toponyms with exactly the
same spelling. Even the panel is drawn in the same style.
Legend, The name of MALTA is inscribed in the centre of the island, The only known copy has an empty panel at top left
corner.
Size, 255 x 185 mm,
Geographical details,
(a) Orientation. West at the top, Compass directions are inscribed in the sea area: PONENTE, TRAMONTANA, LEVANTE,
MEZZODl,
(b) Position, Not shown.
(c) Scale, About I : 170,000
(d) Relief features, Crude hachures and scenographic depiction of hills and cliffs. Shading of hills, rather unrealistic, on the
north side, Six valley systems carefully drawn.
Other particulars, The gross misplacement of Fort SI. Angelo is a glaring characteristic of this map and its derivations, Towers(?)
at Maza Siroccho, Crendi, Raal Kibir, Xilouca, Mosta. The barbican defending the access to Mdina is shown (d, Gastaldi's map),
Four soldiers at Fort SI. Angelo; men drawing water at Marsa and Marfa; vipers at St. Paul's Bay; rabbits on Camino, Marshes
at Marsa; clumps of cane at Ghadira, Shipping in harbour and to the north and south of the islands. The sea area is stippled.
Watermark.
Collection:
Studienbibliothek, Dillingen (X,123, n.106),

7. Anonymous. MALTA. Melita insula ... (n.d.)

(The Marucelliana map)
Author and date. This is a second state of the previous map , with the addition of (Fort) S, Elmo and a section of the perimeter
walls of the projected city (Noua Cilta) on Mount Sceberras, St. Elmo was built in 1552 and in 1558 the Order decided to build
a fortified city to protect the harbour, Bartolomeo Genga (1518·58) submitted a model accompanied by drawings, but he died
soon after. Another scheme was prepared by Baldassare Lanci (1510·71) in 1562, This map was probab ly produced in 1558,
possibly in 1562,
Subject. This map was clearly intended to highlight the planning of the new city, The restricted area of Sceberras Peninsula on
the original plate forced the engraver to "invent" a site in the sea area at the bottom right corner, The considerable increase of
shipping to the north and west of Malta is not easy to interpret, and the depiction of a bastion on Marfa peninsula is quite a
mystery.
Legend. In seven lines, it fills the panel at top left corner and reads: Melita insula, ab Sicilia disiun·lcta Aphrica uersus . ..1. ... 1
.."Abunldat laudatiss, Cotono seu Gossipio.
Geo/(f'aphical position. The legend gives 38*0 longitude and 3417'3 0 latitude.
Other particulars, The chain strelching from St. Angelo to the peninsula of Sceberras is a new feature,
Watennark, Indistinct figure (of animal?) in shield (el. Beans 36) closing with a cross at the top,
Collection:
Biblioteca Marucelliana, Firenze (AlI.Laf. n,91),
8. Anonymous. MALTA. DE MELITA INSVLA. (n.d.)
Author and date. This map might also have been made in Rome. Alternatively, in the same way that D, Bertelli copied the
Lafreri map of 1551, an unknown copper·engraver might have produced in Venice a slightly different version of the map above
described (no.7), It may be dated to the late 1550s or early 1560s.
Subject. Exactly the same as the first Roman version, with the elimination of certain features such as the low buildin~s inside
the Castello , signs of human activity on land, rabbits on Comino, vegetation at Ghadira, Shipping on the north side of Malta is

less pronounced, The sea area is stippled. The vessels to the south of Malta are flying a flag with a cross,

Legend. The name of MALTA is written in the centre of the island, The legend, in seven lines in a plain rectangle at top right

corner, reads: DE MELITA INSVLA I Melita insula ab sicilia disiuncta 1 aphricam uersus .. ..!. . ..!.... abundat Jaudatiss, 1 coton o seu

gossipio. All the toponyms of the prototype are included, with some significant corruptions e,g,: Albaxat for Alhaxac: Bashout

for Besbout; Lokebbetta for 10 Rabbata; Sigro for Sigeo,

Size. 254 x 172 mm,

Geographical details, Same as the Roman version,

Watermark, Two crossed keys and fleur·de·lys in large shield surmounted by a star, (Beans, op, cit., nG, 52),

Collections:
Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Roma (St. Geogr.74)
Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris (Ge,B,1659),
9. GIOVANNI FRANCESCO CAMOCIO. MALTA. DE MELITA INSVLA. (n.d.)
Author and date, This is a second state of the previous map with the sale addition of the imprint Apud Camocium at bottom
right corner of the rectangle containing the legend. Camocio was born during the first decades of the 16th century, probably at
Asolo (Treviso). and he was active in Venice between 1552 and 1575 as a publisher of books and maps, H,s bUSiness address
was the "Libreria della Piramide" at SI. Lio, This map was probably published in the early 1560's. The same imprint of
Camocio is to be found on maps of Corsica and Sardinia, executed in the same style, but even those are undated,
Watermark, The copy examined has no watermark,
Collection:
Cathedral Museum, Mdina, Malta,
10. Anonymous. MALTA. DE MELITA INSVLA.
Author and date. The map has no imprint, but it can be said to belong to a series representing Mediterranean islands,
including Corsica and Sardinia. These two have an imprint and date: FER, BER, 1562 indicating Ferrando (or Ferdinanda)
Bertelli, Born around 1526·1530, he was acti ve in Venice between 1558 and 1565; he kept shop under the sign of SI. Mark, In
(n.d.) -
the 1560s he was a close collaborator of Camocio and Paolo Forlani. He also established a permanent relationship with Roman
publishers, exchanging plates and prints,
Subject: The same as the four preceding maps, but probably copied from the Camocio version and re·engraved on copper like
all the others. The sea rendering is in short intermittent lines, the hatching of the coast line is heavier, but shipping is reduced,
A sea monster is shown off SHema point, and two scorpions are added at SI. Paul's Bay. Pennants are flying over Annontiata,
Balsan, Barmola, Belkakat, Raal Kibir, S. Catharina, Mdina and st. Paul's Bay,
Legend, MALTA is written in the island ' centre, The legend is in nine lines in a panel at top left corner and reads: DE MELITA
INSVLA 1 Melita insula ab sicilia disiuncta 1 aphricam uersus ... .I... .I.."abundat lauda 1 tiss cotono seu gossipio. Toponyms are
faithfully copied from the Camocio map, with the slight differences: Cyminto becomes Ciminto; Gaulos - Gaulosa; Vallone -
Valone. Benorrat is omitted,
Size, 254 x 170 mm.
Scale, About 1 : 133,428.
Watermark. Indistinct.
Collections include:
National Museum, Malta
British Library, London (1.116).
Universitatsbibliothek Rostock (QK·3 Blatt 38b),
Harvard Co llege Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts (51 ·2589 pI),
The John Carter Brown Library, Providence, Rhode Island, (The Hurtado de Toledo atlas, n,17),
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Fig.S Woodcut map of the Maltese Islands from Johann Honter's De Cosmographiae rudimentis....
published by Henricus Petri in Basel in 1561.
 11. Henricus Petri. MELITA. 1561
Author and date. Both the designer and engraver of this map are unknown, although there are certain indications which link

up with a woodcut artist working, inter alia, for Henricus Petri (1508-1579), printer and map publisher of Basel. The map was

probably comm issioned by Petri as it first appeared in print in two books, both published by Petri in Basel in the same year,

namely, 1561. It is therefore being listed in the name of Henricus Petri, although it is commonly known as the Munster map of

Malta.

These are the two books in which it was published:

1. PROCLI DE SPHAERA LIBER 1. .... VNA CVM 10. HONTERI CORONENSIS De Cosmographiae rudimentis duplici editione ....

This book was an anthology of scientific works which included Johann Honter's small school atlas published for the first time

in 1546. Honter was born in Kronstadt (formerly Corona) and died in 1549. His atlas was re-issued in revised versions, even

after Honter's death, but the Malta map was published for the first time in the 1561 edition mentioned above. The anthology

was edited by Marcus Hopperus, the preface is a dedication to the Petri family dated March 1561. The Malta map appeared on

page 936 in 1561, and on page 692 in the 1585 edition of the same anthology.

2. Cosm ographei oder beschreibung aller lander herrschafften fiirnemsten stetten .... better known as Cosmographia
universalis, by Sebastian MUnster. There was no Malta map in the first seventeen editions (1544-1560). In the 1561 edition,
nine years after Miinster death, Petri (Munster son in law) used the woodblock of the Malta m ap. The m ap was also included
in all subsequen t German editions (at least 12 in all) right up to 1628, with variations in the page number, and in the Latin
edition of 1572.

It is not known whether the map was first published in the Cosmographia of Honter or that of Munster. In 1581, the map also
appeared in a book Militari Ordinis lohannitarvm, Rhodiorvm, avt Melitensivm Equitvm, Rervm Memorabilivm by Enrico
Pantaleone, printed in Basel, probably by Henrie Petri. (See pp.210,239).

Subject. A rather crude map of the circular type showing the Maltese islands, closely resembling the Quintinus map. The north­
western parts are particularly distorted, whilst the Grand Harbour area is well-depicted.

Legend. The name MELITA is inscribed on the island itself. The other named islands are: Gozo, Comino and Pip (for Piper), the
n am e give n to Filfola on several Italian portolans (e.g. Andrea Bianco-1316: Grazioso Benincasa-1465; Giorgio Collopodio-1537;
anonymous Venetian ms. at the Bodleian Library). The other toponyms given are: S. Paulus, Malta ciuitas (Mdina), Marsa
hortus and C.S. Angelo, written misplaced off Marsascirocco. On Gozo, the n ame Claudus is inscribed near the Castello, a name
n ot found in portolans. The surrounding seas are indicated as MARE MEDITERRANEVM and MARE APHRICVM.

Size. 122 x 77 mm.

Geographical details.

(a) Orientation. North west at top.

(b) Position . Gr aduated border indicates that Malta is to be found between the 38° and 39° of longitude, a nd just under the
35th parallel. This is the position given by Ptolemy and repeated in Munster's text.

(c) Scale. The scale used is roughly 1:530,000.

(d) Relief fea tuEes. There is a rudimentary attempt, as in the Quintinus map, to show that the highlands are in the southern
and eastern parts of Malta.

Other particulars. Besides the walled cities of Mdina and Borgo, the spring at Marsa and a chapel at the tip of Sceberras
p en insula, about fourteen settlements are depicted. A windmill and lime-kiln a re shown on Senglea peninsula. The Ord er's flag
is flying from Fort St. Angelo and fro m a vessel to the north-west of th e island. The sea area aroun d the coastline is heavily
shadowed , bringing into sharper relief the land area. Shipping in the open sea . Sea rendered by a mixture of parallel and wavy
lines.

Waterm ark. Two sm all triangles superimposed reversed on the 1561 Honter edition.

Collections include:
Hon ter{1561}
National Library, Malta

-
British Library, London (C.74 .a.14).

University Library, Helsinki.

Hon ter{1 585}

British Library, London (160 7/497)
University Libr ary, Helsin ki

Miinster{1 561}
Schweizerische Landesbibliothek, Bern (Rar. I.331)
 12. Anonymous. MELITA NVNC MALTA. Li porti dell'Isola di Malta ....
Rome.1563.
Author and date. This map is unsigned, but it has an imprint: Romae 1563, cum gratia et priuilegio. Probably, it is a product of
the Salamanca·Lafreri workshop. Between 1553 and 1562 Lafreri was in partnership with Antonio Salamanca who was
succeeded by his son Francesco after his death in 1562. The new partnership was dissolved on September 28, 1563, and the
plates were equally divided between Lafreri and Francesco Salamanca. Lafreri must have become the owner of the copper
plate of this map between 1563 and 1566, because in 1566 he used it for an amended version published under his name. The
author of the original manuscript drawing on which this plan is based was probably Bartolomeo Genga (1518·1558), an Italian
military engineer who had submitted a scheme for the building of a new city on Mount Sceberras in the year 1558.
Subject. It is a fairly accurate representation of the N.E. part of Malta, restricted to the harbour area. Indeed , it is the first

printed plan of Marsamuscetto and Grand harbours; all the previous productions showed the whole island. It served as the

prototype for other plans of the area, including a series by Nicolo Nelli and maps by Nicolas Beatrizet, Domenico Zenoi, Hans

Wolff Glaser and Lafreri published on the occcasion of the siege of 1565. It shows a city with its land front 800 canne distant

from Fort st. Elmo and with the enceinte on the seaward side well short of St. Elmo. (300 cannel.

Legend. The title MELITA NVNC MALTA is in the sea area at top cent. e. The Italian legend in a panel at bottom right corner

reads: Li porti dell'Isola di Malta can la pianta della / noua Cittade doue habiteranno que/li che / stanno hora nel Bargo qui /

disegnato. Corresponding to the legend, the only two place· names on the plan are La noua cittade and II Bargo; on the other

hand, 23 capital letters (A to Z) mark the important places, without any corresponding key. The same title and legend appear

on a siege map by N. Beatrizet, whilst the legend is repeated on a siege map by D. Zenoi.

Size. 282 x 415 mm.

Geographical details.

(a) Orientation. North·north-east at top. A compass rose has these wind directions: Settentrione, Oriente, Mezzo di, Occidente.
(b) Position. Not given.
(c) Scale. A scale and a pair of dividers are shown towards the top, left of centre. No explanation is given of what the scale's six

divisions represent. In the 1566 version Lafreri gives Canne 003, but still this offers no solution . In Malta , the Canna is still in

use and is equivalent to 2.0954 metres. One Canna is divided into eight Palme.

(d) Relief features. The shading technique gives an effective idea of the hills and valleys.

Other particulars. Prominent is the accurate and clearly defined road network, even more elaborate than that on the 1551

Lafreri map. It is an exact replica of the road system depicted on the manuscript drawing already mentioned. Other features

copied from the drawing are: the chain stretching from St. Angelo to Sceberras; the two gardens (which are named respectively,

on the Beatrizet map, Giardino de la marcia and Giardino de la fontaina). The spring at Marsa is shown, although it is absent

in the drawing. Human activity on the roads depicted and at the Marsa spring. Shipping in stippled sea area.

Watermark. Three different ones have been recorded: ladder in circle joined by a line to star above; two uprights in spherical

shield ending in a cross at the top; eagle in circle surmounted by a crown. .

Collections include:

National Library, Malta (042.34)

British Library, London (1.117)

Biblioteca Nazionaie, Firenze (ILl 16)

Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Niirnberg (K.1175 La.340)

Biblioteca de Palacio, Madrid (Map 438.47)

13. Anonymous. MELITA NVNC MALTA. Li porti del isola di

malta .... 1563.

Author and date. Unlike the previous map, we have no clue as to the publisher of this map, nor do we know who engraved it

on copper. It is dated 1563 and was probably copied from the map just described. It has no imprint.

Subject. Same as the previous map.

Legend. The title is the same as in the previous map, but the legend is written and set differently: Li porti del isola di malta

con / la pianta de la noua cittade doue / habiterranno quelli che stanno / nel borgo qui disegnato .1563. The places names are:

la noua / cittade; il Borgo; cataena. There are no capital letters next to important places.

Size. 270 x 381 mm.

Geographical details.

(a) Orientation. As the previous map. Wind directions around compass rose: settentrione, oriente, mezzodi, occidente.
(b) Position. Not given.
(c) and (d) Scale and Relief features . Copied from the previous map and the same remarks apply.
Other particulars. All the details are exactly like the previous map, except that there is human activity only near the garden at
Marsa and no windmill is shown at the tip of Senglea peninsula. There is a larger concentration of vessels in Dockyard Creek.
Watermark. Not known.
Collection:
Biblioteca Universitaria di Bologna.

14. Anonymous. MELITA NVNC MALTA. Li porti del isola di

malta .... (n.d.)
This is the second state of the previous map with the date .1563. deleted from the plate.

Watermark . Indistinct design in circle.

Collections:

National Museum, Malta

Universitatsbibliothek, Salzburg (G.lS6.III)