Fine map by Abraham Ortelius showing the ancient kingdoms of Judah and Israel from the “Parergon,” a historical atlas supplementing his “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum.” The map is oriented northward and extends from Egypt to Phoenicia, covering present-day Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. It is divided into three main regions: Judea in the south, Samaria and Lower Galilee in the center, and Upper Galilee in the north. The map meticulously illustrates mountains, bodies of water like the Dead Sea and the Jordan River, and settlements marked with symbols denoting their size and importance. The territories of the Twelve Tribes of Israel are delineated with dashed lines, often overlapping regional boundaries. Jerusalem is prominently displayed as a significant and sacred city, along with other key locations such as Masada and Nazareth. Two elaborate cartouches frame the map, with one containing the title and attribution to Tilemann Stella of Siegen, whose 1552 map served as the primary reference. The other cartouche credits Ortelius as the publisher. While the map is highly detailed, some geographical inaccuracies exist, such as a meandering coastline and a crescent-shaped Dead Sea, likely due to the limited knowledge of the region at the time.
The Parergon, considered by Ortelius to be his greatest achievement, is a work of great personal interest that integrates historical and geographical maps, made by hand with considerable skill and knowledge. Originally published as a supplement to the 1579 edition of Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the Parergon saw the addition of 55 maps over time and had two stand-alone publications in 1595 and 1624. Its popularity was borne out by translations into several languages and regular printing until 1612, with later editions that, though less frequent, remained successful, such as the 1624 edition published twenty-six years after Ortelius’ death.
