Exploring the "Americae Sive Novi Orbis" by Abraham Ortelius from 1570.

Q: Why is South America shaped so strangely?

The bulge on the western coast of South America was a common geographic error in the late 16th century. It was based on incomplete reports from early explorers and was later corrected in subsequent editions of the atlas.

Q: What does 'Americae Sive Novi Orbis' mean?

The phrase is Latin for 'The Americas, or the New World,' which was the standard term used by Renaissance cartographers to describe the recently discovered continents.

Q: Is this map geographically accurate?

While it represented the peak of 1570 geographical knowledge, it contains speculative features like the Strait of Anian and an oversized South America. It is now valued as a masterpiece of historical cartography.

Dubravko
Feb 24
4 min read

If you love the era of great explorers, then the Abraham Ortelius's (1570.) Americas map is a true treasure. Its official title is "Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio." This map was a ground breaking piece of history. It was the very first map in a modern atlas to focus entirely on North and South America.

A full view of the handcrafted 1570 Americas map by Abraham Ortelius. The print has hand burned edges and a warm beeswax finish. — Our handcrafted 1570. Americas map. It features hand burned edges and a beeswax finish.

At our family workshop, Artifex Historical Replicas, we take great pride in bringing this masterpiece back to life. We use thick, hand-processed paper and a natural beeswax finish. This gives every print a warm feel and a soft glow. Because we always burn the edges by hand, each piece looks like an authentic find from the 16th century.

The First Atlas of the Modern World

Abraham Ortelius was a master from Antwerp who changed mapmaking forever. In 1570, he released the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. This was the world’s first true modern atlas. Before this, maps were often sold as single sheets in different sizes. Ortelius gathered the best maps and made them fit into one book.

A historical portrait of the mapmaker Abraham Ortelius by the artist Peter Paul Rubens. He has a short gray beard and wears a dark coat with a thick fur collar. — Rubens’ famous portrait of the master who created the first modern atlas. It captures the face of a man who changed history.

The Americas map was the star of his collection. It showed the "New World" in a way people had never seen before. While Ortelius was busy with his atlas, other masters like John Speed were also starting their own mapping traditions.

The Famous "Bulge" and Geographic Mysteries

When you look at our Abraham Ortelius's Americas Map, you might notice some strange shapes. These details are what make historical art so interesting.

The South American Bulge

The most famous part of this map is the shape of South America. It has a very large "bulge" on the western coast. This was a common mistake in the 1500s. Explorers had not measured the coastline perfectly yet. Ortelius later corrected this in his 1587. edition, but the 1570. version remains a favorite for collectors.

The Unknown Northwest

North America looks very different on this map. The area where we now find Alaska and Canada is mostly a mystery. Ortelius included a narrow water passage called the "Strait of Anian." People believed this was a shortcut from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

Sea Monsters and Galleons

The oceans on this map are full of life. You can find detailed drawings of Spanish galleons and terrifying sea monsters. In the 16th century, these drawings were not just for show. They represented the dangers and the excitement of sailing into unknown waters.

Key Knowledge for Researchers

Feature	Detail
Official Name	Americae Sive Novi Orbis, Nova Descriptio
The Maker	Abraham Ortelius (1527. to 1598.)
The Date	1570. (Antwerp, Belgium)
First For	First map dedicated to the Americas in a modern atlas
Key Symbol	The "Bulge" on the South American coast

Why Our Handcrafted Replicas are Special

We want your wall art to feel like a physical piece of the past. We follow a careful artisan process to make that happen.

Always Hand Burned Edges: We always burn the edges of our prints by hand. This gives the paper a unique, aged look that a machine cannot copy.
Beeswax Finish: We finish our prints with natural beeswax. This makes the paper feel like parchment and gives it a warm, calm glow.
Gold Paint Accents: We add small gold highlights to the title scroll and the sea creatures to help the map catch the light on your wall.
Custom Sizes: We can make your map in custom sizes to fit your home perfectly.
Free Worldwide Shipping: We ship our handcrafted replicas to history fans all over the world.

Bringing a Piece of Discovery to Your Home

Because we use thick paper and natural beeswax, these prints are built to last for many years. We recommend using a "float mount" for your frame. This lets the map sit slightly forward so you can see the hand-burned edges from every angle.

If you want to see how we prepare our paper, you can read more about how we create our historical parchment replicas. You can also explore the stories of other masters in our complete guide to antique map prints. You can find this Ortelius Americas replica and many others in the Antique Map Prints category in our shop here.

Frequently Asked Questions About the (1570.) Ortelius's Americas Map

Why is South America shaped so strangely?

Explorers in 1570. did not have the tools we have today. The "bulge" was a mistake based on early reports from sailors. It is now one of the most famous quirks in the history of mapping.

What does "Americae Sive Novi Orbis" mean?

It is Latin for "The Americas, or the New World." At the time, North and South America were still being explored and were often called the New World by Europeans.

Is this map geographically accurate?

It was very accurate for the 1500s, but it still has many guesses. It is best enjoyed as a piece of historical art that shows what people knew about the world 450 years ago.