Cyprus 1542 - The Great Map of the Island by Leonida Attar

In English. Soft cover book, 30X22.5 cm, 152 pp., ill.

The large scale map of Cyprus (139 x 64 cm), coloured using the aquarelle technique, was drawn up in 1542 by the Cypriot Leonidas Attar. Attar was appointed by the Venetian authorities as a specialist in irrigation works and military fortifications, which he undertook together with Michelle and Girolamo Sanmicheli in both Venice and Cyprus; at the same time, he acquired the technical knowledge and experience in the drawing up of maps. Probably for strategic and military reasons, the map remained hidden in the archives of Venice from the 16th century onwards, and until a few years ago it was scarcely known. The discovery and study of the map by the authors has demonstrated that it is a very important primary source for cartography and for the history of Cyprus. The map shows the features of administrative and political cartography designed to furnish territorial information for governmental purposes. In the background of the map is depicted the crowned lion of Venice and the emblem of the Order of the Sword that was founded by the Lusignan King Peter I, as well as the novel image of a tongue in a vice, a feature that recalls the punishments meted out to blasphemers. The map gives important information on the topography and morphology of Cyprus, with its eleven administrative districts, approximately six hundred villages, numerous religious monuments and archaeological sites.

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