1771 Bonne Map of Abyssinia Ethiopia Sudan and the Red Sea

by Paul Fearn

Title

1771 Bonne Map of Abyssinia Ethiopia Sudan and the Red Sea

Artist

Paul Fearn

Medium

Photograph

Description

A beautiful example of Rigobert Bonne's 1771 map of Nubia and Abyssinia. Covers from Aswan, Egypt south along the Nile river to include all of modern day Sudan, Ethiopia, Eretria, Djibouti and Somalia. Also includes parts of neighboring Arabia across the Red Sea. This is a fairly advanced map revealing the cartographic sophistication of the Abyssinian Empire. Shows the Blue Nile flowing correctly into Lake Dambea (Lake Tana) from the south. Notes numerous important cataracts on the Blue Nile. The White Nile, who's course is more mysterious, acts as a kind of western border for this map, with only vague notations regarding the African empires lying on its western shores. Names numerous Nubian and Ethiopian cities and monasteries as well as the location of Mecca across the Red Sea. A fine map of the region. Drawn by R. Bonne in 1771 for issue as plate no. A 20 in Jean Lattre's 1776 issue of the Atlas Moderne .

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August 28th, 2013

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