The Hunt–Lenox Globe or Lenox Globe, dating from about 1508,[1] is the second- or third-oldest known terrestrial globe, after the Erdapfel of Martin Behaim (1492) and the Ostrich Egg Globe (claimed[2] 1504). The Hunt-Lenox Globe is housed by the Rare Book Division of the New York Public Library.[1] It is notable as one of only two known instances of a historical map actually using the phrase HC SVNT DRACONES (in Latin hic sunt dracones, which means "here are dragons").
The Lenox Globe is a hollow red copper globe without any green or black patina that measures ca. 112 millimetres (ca. 4.4 in) in diameter.[3] The phrase HIC SVNT DRACONES appears just below the equator on the eastern coast of Asia.[1][4]
In his recollections, Henry Stevens recalled seeing the globe while dining with Hunt in 1870. Hunt was ambivalent about the globe, which he bought "for a song", and was allowing his children to toy with it. Stevens recognized its value and urged Hunt to store it in the Lenox Library, which he was designing at the time. Stevens also borrowed the globe to ascertain its age with the help of Julius Erasmus Hilgard, who worked for the Coast Survey—a predecessor to the US National Geodetic Survey.[5]
Stefaan Missinne, since 2012 the owner and investigator of the Ostrich Egg Globe, has claimed that in fact the Hunt–Lenox Globe was not engraved at all, but was cast from the Ostrich Egg Globe "using a very specific and unusual technique" before the two halves of the egg globe were joined.[6]
Publicationsedit
The Lenox Globe, by B.F. De Costa
The earliest known article on the globe was written by B. F. de Costa for the Magazine of American History in September 1879.[7] Gabriel Gravier reprinted the article with additional comments in the Bulletin de la société normande de géographie later that year.[8]
However, neither article links hic sunt dracones to dragons. Da Costa writes:
In this region [China, called "East India" on the globe], near the equatorial line, is seen "Hc Svnt Dracones", or here are the Dagroians, described by Marco Polo as living in the Kingdom of "Dagroian". These people... feasted upon the dead and picked their bones (B.II. c.14, Ramusio's ed.)
In his translation of Da Costa's article, Gabriel Gravier adds that Marco Polo's Kingdom of Dagroian is in Java Minor, or Sumatra, well away from the spot indicated on the Lenox Globe.
De Costa noted a large, unnamed land mass depicted in the southern part of the Eastern Hemisphere on the Lenox Globe and suggested, “with extreme diffidence”, that this land represented Australia, misplaced to this location. If so, he said, “it would be necessary to conclude that, although misplaced upon the Lenox Globe, Australia was known to the geographers of that early period”.
The flat drawing of the globe which accompanied the early articles is reproduced as map 7 in Emerson D. Fite and Archibald Freeman's A Book of Old Maps Delineating American History (New York: Dover Reprints, 1969), and as figure 43 in A. E. Nordenskiöld's Facsimile-Atlas to the Early History of Cartography (New York: Dover Reprints, 1973).
The New York Public Library provides high resolution scans of the globe on their website.[9]
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Referencesedit
^ abc. New York Public Library. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
^Wouter Bracke (2019). "The Da Vinci Globe by Stefaan Missinne (review)" (PDF). Maps in History. 64 (64): 13–15.
^Bulletin of the New York Public Library. New York: New York Public Library. January 1904. pp. 415.
^McGarvey, Kathleen (February 26, 2020). "One of the world's oldest globes is ready for its close-up".
^Stevens, Henry (1886). Recollections of Mr. James Lenox of New York, & the Formation of His Library. Vermont: Henry Stevens & Son. pp. 140–143.
^Missinne, Stefaan (Fall 2013). "A Newly Discovered Early Sixteenth-Century Globe Engraved on an Ostrich Egg: The Earliest Surviving Globe Showing the New World" (PDF). The Portolan: Journal of the Washington Map Society (87): 8–24.
^De Costa, B.F. (September 1879). "The Lenox Globe". The Magazine of American History. 3 (9). New York: A. S. Barnes: 12.
^"Le Globe Lenox", Bulletin de la société normande de géographie (Oct–Dec. 1879), pp. 216–228.
^"Hunt-Lenox Globe - NYPL Digital Collections". digitalcollections.nypl.org. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
The Hunt–Lenox Globe 2011-01-22 at the Wayback Machine, Treasures of the New York Public Library
January 01, 1970
hunt, lenox, globe, some, this, article, listed, sources, reliable, please, help, improve, this, article, looking, better, more, reliable, sources, unreliable, citations, challenged, removed, september, 2021, learn, when, remove, this, message, lenox, globe, d. Some of this article s listed sources may not be reliable Please help improve this article by looking for better more reliable sources Unreliable citations may be challenged and removed September 2021 Learn how and when to remove this message The Hunt Lenox Globe or Lenox Globe dating from about 1508 1 is the second or third oldest known terrestrial globe after the Erdapfel of Martin Behaim 1492 and the Ostrich Egg Globe claimed 2 1504 The Hunt Lenox Globe is housed by the Rare Book Division of the New York Public Library 1 It is notable as one of only two known instances of a historical map actually using the phrase HC SVNT DRACONES in Latin hic sunt dracones which means here are dragons The Lenox Globe Contents 1 Description 2 Background 3 Publications 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Close up of the text Hic Sunt Dracones The Lenox Globe is a hollow red copper globe without any green or black patina that measures ca 112 millimetres ca 4 4 in in diameter 3 The phrase HIC SVNT DRACONES appears just below the equator on the eastern coast of Asia 1 4 Background editThe globe was purchased in Paris in 1855 by architect Richard Morris Hunt who gave it to James Lenox whose collection became part of the New York Public Library where the globe still resides In his recollections Henry Stevens recalled seeing the globe while dining with Hunt in 1870 Hunt was ambivalent about the globe which he bought for a song and was allowing his children to toy with it Stevens recognized its value and urged Hunt to store it in the Lenox Library which he was designing at the time Stevens also borrowed the globe to ascertain its age with the help of Julius Erasmus Hilgard who worked for the Coast Survey a predecessor to the US National Geodetic Survey 5 Stefaan Missinne since 2012 the owner and investigator of the Ostrich Egg Globe has claimed that in fact the Hunt Lenox Globe was not engraved at all but was cast from the Ostrich Egg Globe using a very specific and unusual technique before the two halves of the egg globe were joined 6 Publications edit nbsp The Lenox Globe by B F De Costa The earliest known article on the globe was written by B F de Costa for the Magazine of American History in September 1879 7 Gabriel Gravier reprinted the article with additional comments in the Bulletin de la societe normande de geographie later that year 8 However neither article links hic sunt dracones to dragons Da Costa writes In this region China called East India on the globe near the equatorial line is seen Hc Svnt Dracones or here are the Dagroians described by Marco Polo as living in the Kingdom of Dagroian These people feasted upon the dead and picked their bones B II c 14 Ramusio s ed In his translation of Da Costa s article Gabriel Gravier adds that Marco Polo s Kingdom of Dagroian is in Java Minor or Sumatra well away from the spot indicated on the Lenox Globe De Costa noted a large unnamed land mass depicted in the southern part of the Eastern Hemisphere on the Lenox Globe and suggested with extreme diffidence that this land represented Australia misplaced to this location If so he said it would be necessary to conclude that although misplaced upon the Lenox Globe Australia was known to the geographers of that early period The flat drawing of the globe which accompanied the early articles is reproduced as map 7 in Emerson D Fite and Archibald Freeman s A Book of Old Maps Delineating American History New York Dover Reprints 1969 and as figure 43 in A E Nordenskiold s Facsimile Atlas to the Early History of Cartography New York Dover Reprints 1973 The New York Public Library provides high resolution scans of the globe on their website 9 nbsp Northern hemisphere nbsp Southern hemisphereReferences edit a b c The Hunt Lenox Globe Treasures of the New York Public Library New York Public Library Archived from the original on 22 January 2011 Retrieved 25 July 2010 Wouter Bracke 2019 The Da Vinci Globe by Stefaan Missinne review PDF Maps in History 64 64 13 15 Bulletin of the New York Public Library New York New York Public Library January 1904 pp 415 McGarvey Kathleen February 26 2020 One of the world s oldest globes is ready for its close up Stevens Henry 1886 Recollections of Mr James Lenox of New York amp the Formation of His Library Vermont Henry Stevens amp Son pp 140 143 Missinne Stefaan Fall 2013 A Newly Discovered Early Sixteenth Century Globe Engraved on an Ostrich Egg The Earliest Surviving Globe Showing the New World PDF The Portolan Journal of the Washington Map Society 87 8 24 De Costa B F September 1879 The Lenox Globe The Magazine of American History 3 9 New York A S Barnes 12 Le Globe Lenox Bulletin de la societe normande de geographie Oct Dec 1879 pp 216 228 Hunt Lenox Globe NYPL Digital Collections digitalcollections nypl org Retrieved 2021 06 09 Further reading editR W Hill The Lenox Globe Bulletin of the New York Public Library Vol 41 Nr 7 July 1937 pp 523 525 External links editThe Hunt Lenox Globe Archived 2011 01 22 at the Wayback Machine Treasures of the New York Public Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hunt Lenox Globe amp oldid 1221086480, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
