Polus Antarcticus Joannes Jansonius (1657) from The Royal Society of Tasmania’s Map Collection

Polus Antarcticus. Created by Joannes Jansonius (1657). The 1685 re-edition included the results of Tasman's first voyage. It shows Nova Hollandia 'detecta 1644', part of Zeelandia and 'Ant. van Diem. Landt' 'detecta 1642', also St. Francis and St. Peter's Islands. It is bordered by coloured scenes of natives and animals." (Royal Society Map Collection RS Mp 6)

Johannes Janssonius (1588–1664), with his brother in law, owned bookstores in many cities in Europe and reproduced versions of Mercator’s map. By 1660 there were 11 volumes of his maps created by many authors and engravers but this map appears to be a response to results of Abel Tasman's first voyage (1642–1643). The map shows the South Pole in the centre but with no real detail – although there is some rough shading of islands and peninsulas. It also shows South America, Cape Horn and Tierra del Fuego (the latter two had been mapped during the Magellan expedition, 1519–1522), as well as Van Diemen’s Land (mapped by Tasman, 1642) and the southern part of Africa and Madagascar. Coloured images around the outside of the map show penguins, the native people of Tierra del Fuego, and of Africa, as well as hunters of south America. Images also include lions and penguins in the same image (!) lower right. Paper folio from book. Original Size: 47 cm x 42 cm.

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