The first printed map of Russia is given over to the Russian State Archives

26 January 1994

On January 26, 1994 the Russian State Archives received the first printed map of Russia – the map of Moscow lands of 1525.

The famous map of a Venetial Battista Agnese dedicated completely to Muscovy, was composed around 1525 based on the tales of a Russian ambassador Dmitry Gerasimov and on the “Book on Muscovy embassy” by a historian Paul Ioviy (Paolo Govio) based on the same tales. This map had to supplement the work of Ioviy but it is only known that it was issued in the atlas of Agnese of 1554. On this map the whole north of Russia according to the ancient ideas, is covered with ocean. In this ocean the White, Black and Azov seas are represented almost correctly, as to the Caspian sea, it is extended at its longitude. The map also demonstrates the Western Siberia – “The Great Western Tataria”. In researchers’ opinion this map is based on a Russian chart possessed by Dmitry Gerasimov during his visit to Venice.

For the long time the map, meant for the book of Paul Ioviy, was believed to be lost. Only four centuries later it turned up in Wroclaw University library and in 1989 was introduced to the scientific society at the International conference on cartography history in Amsterdam.

 In December, 1993 by consent of the Russian government and with the assistance of the Central and the Moscow banks, one of the earliest printed maps was acquired at Sotheby’s auction in London. At the present is housed in the Russian State Archives for ancient documents.

 

Lit.: Карта Баттисты Агнезе 1525 г. // Кордт В. А. Материалы по истории русской картографии. Вып. 1. М., 1899; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://papacoma.narod.ru/maps/kordt1/kordt1-chapter2.htm; Новое приобретение Госархива России // Коммерсант. 1994. 27 янв. (№ 13 (481)); То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://www.kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=69686; Пандул И. С., Зверевич В. В. История и философия геодезии и маркшейдерии. СПб., 2008; Савельева Е. А. Олаус Магнус и его История северных народов. Л., 1983.