Map de Caveri

The map was created by the Genoese cartographer around 1505 - the date is not indicated on the map. The map was first described in 1890 and copied two years later. This map served as the main source for the creation in 1507 of the famous map of Martin Waldzemueller , where the word "America" ​​first appears.

The map is signed by Opus Nicolay de Caveri Januensis. Perhaps the map was drawn in Lisbon by the Genoese Caveri or copied by him in Genoa from a Portuguese map, which is very similar to the map of Cantino or from the map of Cantino itself. It is known that the map of Cantino was in Genoa at the end of 1502 and supposedly could have been there for several years - Kaveri could take it as a basis for his map.

According to Carlos Sanz ( Spanish Carlos Sanz ) expressed in his book (Mapas antiguos del mundo, Madrid, 1961), if we compare the outline of the North American east coast on the map of de Caveri with modern maps, we will be struck by the striking similarity of the coastline from Florida to Delaware and Hudson . Sanz draws attention to the fact that it is still believed that Europeans did not set foot on the coast of the southern states until the following navigators visited these parts: Ponce de Leon in 1512 or 1513 , Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1523 , Lucas Vazquez de Islon in the years 1520-1524. and Eshtevan Gomish in 1525 . The only possible explanation is that some ships sailed along this coast and plotted the contours on maps. The outlines of these shores may have been taken from these unknown maps. Sanz's hypothesis did not receive the support of other scientists.

• Scalable image of Map de Caveri on the website of the French National Library .