Theatrum Terrae Sanctae Et Biblicarum Historiarum cum Tabulis Geographicus aere Expressis; Urbis Hierosolymae quem Admodum ea Christi D. N. Tempore Florvit, et Suburbanorum eius Brevis Descriptio

Cologne: Arnoldi Mylij, 1593. Second edition. Hardcover. g+. Folio. [12], 286, [30], plus foldout maps. 3/4 calf over paper covered boards with gold lettering on spine; professionally rebacked with raised bands and brown leather title plate. Engraved title-page with images of Moses, Joshua, the Ark of the Covenant being carried through the Jordan river, and Mother Church with a cross. Decorative initials and head and tail pieces. Fascinating second edition of this scarce Biblical atlas, profusely illustrated with 12 folding &/or double-page engraved maps (including a large 2-sheet map of the Holy Land, a large 2-sheet plan of Jerusalem, and 10 maps showing the territories of the Tribes of Israel) by the 16th century German Catholic priest Christian van Adrichem. Adrichem goes alphabetically through the 13 tribes of Israel, listing the locations of the cities within their territory. Also printed together in this volume is Adrichem's "Urbis Hierosolymae," an alphabetical listing of 270 landmarks in Jerusalem plus an extra 37 miscellaneous places, and his "Chronicon Duplex," which gives an historical timeline from creation to the year 1585 and a brief year by year history from creation to death of St. John the Evangelist in 109 C.E. Adrichem ends the book with a description of Antichrist, based on Adso's Life of Antichrist. Dedicatory introduction to the pope by Geradus Brunius, who helped publish the book. Brunius laments the fact that, in the "ocean of Germany," he is surrounded by the "artifices of Satan," (Protestants) arrayed against the Catholic. Prefaces by Adrichem for each part and a laudatory poem by Jordan Louffii. The printer, Arnold Birkmann, came from a prominent printing family active in Cologne throughout the 16th century, and which played a leading role in the German Counter-Reformation movement. While Protestants are usually given the bulk of the credit for early modern biblical scholarship, this is an example of Catholic biblical scholarship formulated as part of a polemic against Protestantism. Christian van Adrichem's professional training as surveyor and his exhaustive studies of the Bible, the writings of Josephus, and early pilgrim narratives enabled him to produce these most influential Holy Land maps of the sixteenth century without ever having visited the region. Text is in Latin. Boards slightly rubbed. Contemporary inscription on title-page. Heavy age-toning to the first four leaves (however, leaving the text fully and easily readable). Clear water-staining at upper corner of last pages (not affecting text). Several map tears professionally repaired. Binding and interior in overall good+ condition. Reference: Allen Kent, "Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science: Volume 23" pg. 396.