Mapping Iceland

Atlas minor was in a way response to the popularity of the Epitome publications of Ortelius’ work. It was published by Jodocus Hondius who had taken over Mercator’s business, with all the maps. Hondius set out to resurrect the flailing business, including with the new Atlas minor. This map, Island, is much closer to the original than in the case of the miniature maps published in the name of Ortelius. It is a beautiful map with a lot of details, 115 place names, and the fire-spewing Hekla. Even the creature is retained. The plates for this beautiful map, as well as many other from Atlas Minor, were later used on a number of English publications, including by Samuel Purchas (1625) and Michael Sparke (1635). With different headings, the map of Iceland is exactly the same. Maps published by Purchas have the heading “Hondius his map” above it, the latter has the words “Iseland” to the left of the map.