Argonautica - Abraham Ortelius, 1624. (World Map In Color)
This map lets you follow Jason and the Argonauts as if their story were laid out on an old atlas page. The coasts of Italy, Greece and the Black Sea are drawn in soft color on a warm parchment style background, with the ship’s route winding through the water. It has a clear myth-and-history feel that works well in a study or reading corner next to books, wood and brass details.
 
About this map print
This print is based on Argonautica, a historical map from Abraham Ortelius’ Parergon, the extra part of his atlas that focused on the ancient world and famous stories from classical writers. Here Ortelius turns the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts into geography, following the route to the Golden Fleece as told in Apollonius Rhodius’ poem Argonautica and other ancient sources.
 
The main map covers the eastern Mediterranean from Italy across Greece to the Black Sea and the land of Colchis, with the path of the ship Argo marked step by step. Around it, Ortelius adds small inset maps of Europe, Thessaly and parts of Asia Minor so the viewer can place the story inside a wider picture of the ancient world. Text panels list the names of more than eighty Argonauts and give the classical authors he used as references, which is why this sheet is often described as half map and half lesson in Greek myth.
 
Argonautica sits in the same historical series as Ortelius maps like Romani Imperii Imago, where he mapped the Roman Empire, but here the focus is on one legendary journey instead of a whole state. Together they show how he liked to turn well known stories from the ancient world into carefully researched maps.

Craft & finish
This antique map print is made on hand processed paper. We add subtle gold by hand and seal the surface with beeswax so it feels close to real parchment when you hold it. The paper catches the light softly, but colors may look a little different from screen to screen.
 
You can find more pieces like this in our Antique Maps collection.