Norway, Jan Mayen Island, Whale Hunting…, Janssonius, 1657, Insulae Iohannis Mayen….

Large folio sized very rare 17th century nautical chart of the island of Jan Mayen in the Artic Ocean.

The island is depicted with careful attention to its topographical features, including the prominent Beerenberg volcano, which is illustrated in relief. The surrounding waters are detailed with navigational routes, indicating the map's practical use for mariners.

The chart includes several inscriptions, primarily in Latin, identifying geographical features and navigational information. The title cartouche, located in the lower right corner, is adorned with mythological figures and maritime symbols, underscoring the map's dual role as a navigational tool and a work of art.

he first documented discovery of the island happened in the early 1600 when Dutch and English whalers sailed in the area in search of new hunting grounds. It is controversial whether a certain William Hudson may have seen the island while on expedition in 1607/1608. In January the Dutch established the Noordsche Compagnie (Northern Company), modeled on the Dutch East India Company, to support Dutch whaling in the Arctic. The island is named after the Dutchman Jan Jacobs May van Schellinkhout who visited the island in July 1614 when his first mate did some mapping of this barren volcanic place with some moss and grass and so honored his Captain. There were/are no indigenous inhabitants. The Dutch whalers established several whale oil boilers on the island where they extracted oil from the blubber of whales.T

Because of the importance and expense associated with Jansson's later atlases, the maps from the Atlas Maritimus are relatively scarce on the market and are highly collected as the first obtainable Dutch Sea Charts of many regions around the world.

Published in 1657 in Amsterdam by J. Janssonius in ´Atlantis maioris quinta pars, orbem maritimum... editio novissima. Amstelodami: apud Ioannem Ianssonium, 1657´

Very good condition. Clear print, strong paper. Reverse side text in Latin.

Image 40,5x51,5cm, sheet 51,5x60cm