Nova totius Graeciae by Jacob Sandrart

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Map Collection, University of Melbourne Library

This map of the eastern Mediterranean helps us locate sites where notable events occurred in ancient times, and where artefacts from those regions originated. It also covers the Ottoman territories in Europe, Anatolia, the Middle East and north Africa. In the 17th century, the Ottoman Empire was at the height of its power; the large and elaborate cartouche (lower left) depicting Turkish and European soldiers refers to conflicts of the day.

Engraved maps such as this were printed in black ink only and later coloured by hand, often to suit the requirements of a particular publisher or patron. For this reason the colouring may be different on each map.

Jacob Sandrart was a prolific engraver of maps and illustrations. He drew many of the images for the art-history textbook Teutsche Academie, working for its author, Joachim Sandrart (1606–1688), who was both his uncle and teacher.

Teaching ideas

The University of Melbourne’s curriculum is rich and varied, and changes from year to year. For more teaching ideas, contact a collection manager.

Mapping Environments

Visit the Map Collection and view regional maps such as those depicting the Mediterranean. What is their role in comparison to charts, projections and world maps?

Morphological Mapping

Visit the Map Collection and view historical maps, such as regional maps. Do they contain layers of urban data that may be useful for creating morphological maps?

Interpreting the Ancient World

Critically analyse Sandrart’s map of the eastern Mediterranean. How does it reveal social contexts of the ancient past?

Ancient Greece: History and Archaeology

Identify some of the political, socio-economic and cultural changes in Greek civilisation, and how these are shown in maps of the Mediterranean.

Myth, Art and Empire: Greece and Rome

View maps in the Map Collection and explain how heroic archetypes, gods and goddesses influenced the designs of historical maps, both through the landmasses depicted and the decorations added.

Age of Empires

Explain how the experience of the Ottoman Empire may have affected empires of the 18th century. How were empires coloured on maps, and what was the significance of this colouring?

Historical Thinking

Select a map from the Map Collection. Explain how it may be used as a tool in historical thinking, and describe its implications for learning and teaching.

Knowledge, Learning and Culture

Visit the Map Collection and, working in groups, examine maps and discuss how they transmit knowledge.

Intersecting objects