The other maps in the volume include a map of the Holy Land map ‘Tabula Terrae Canaan Abrahae... Benedit ti Ariae Montani’; a map of Israel ‘Terrae Israel Omnis Ante Canaan Dictae...’; and eleven engraved plates of Old Testaments subjects, including Noah’s Ark, the Tabernacle, two of the Temple of Moses, and others. There is a full-page map of old Jerusalem, ‘Antiquae Ierusalem Vera’.



 (1527-1598), a scholarly Orientalist, was commanded by King Philip II of Spain, in 1568, to supervise and edit a new polyglot edition of the Bible. Arias included parallel Hebrew text with a translation by Leon de Castro, a fellow professor of Oriental languages at Salamanca. De Castro denounced Arias to the Spanish Inquisition for “having altered the Biblical text, making too liberal use of the rabbinical writings, in disregard of the decree of the Council of Trent concerning the authenticity of the Vulgate, and confirming the Jews in their beliefs by his Chaldaic paraphrases” (Rudge). 

Arias was eventually freed of the charges in 1580, and accepted the post of Royal Chaplain, looked after the Escorial library, and resumed his teaching of Oriental languages. 

This subsequent publication also includes 

’ intriguing double-page engraved map of the world, here in the second state, with the word 'gentes' added to the panel lower left. It shows how the world was repopulated by Noah's three sons, based on cartography by Giacomo Gastaldi, with North America and Asia linked by a prominent land bridge. 

A surprisingly accurate depiction of northern Australia in approximately the correct position 34 years before it’s official discovery by the 'Dufykin' (1606) has been a source of much speculation. But, considering the level of accuracy of the rest of the map, it seems likely it is merely coincidental. 

’ famous double-hemisphere map of the world, ‘Benedict Arias Montanus Sacrae 

e Tabulam ex Antiquissimorum Cultor Familiis a Mose Recensitis ... Aø. 1571’ (315 x 530mm), first appeared in the eighth volume of a polyglot Bible, which came to be known as the ‘Sacrae Regia’. It was printed by Christophe Plantin, and edited by Montanus between 1569 and 1572.  The Bible, with text in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Syriac, was dedicated to and largely paid for by King Philip II of Spain. Tragically, a large proportion of the entire printing of the final eighth volume was lost at sea on its way to Spain, so the first issue is very rare.

This richly detailed, famous map of the world by 

 was first printed in Volume 8 of his Polyglot Bible, shown here.  It illustrates the Judeo-Christian theory that the world was repopulated by Noah's sons. The map is based on cartography by Gastaldi, with North America and Asia linked by a prominent land bridge. 

The engraving of Montanus' map is exceptionally fine. Delicately rendered sea monsters, ships and galleons decorate the oceans, which are filled with tiny waves. 

s watch over the map - named in Latin, Greek and Hebrew.

Montanus had been ordered to create this Bible by King Philip II of Spain. It contains text in Hebrew, Greek, Latin and Syriac. In addition to this world map, Volume 8 contains maps of the Holy Land and of Israel, 11 engraved plates of Old Testaments subjects including Noah’s Ark, the Tabernacle and two of the Temple of Moses. There is also a full-page map of old Jerusalem.

The publisher of the Bible, Christophe Plantin, lived in Antwerp, the centre of the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule in the Netherlands. In order to persuade the Hapsburgs of his fealty, he published a number of works dedicated to the Spanish Kings Philip II and III, including the ‘Sacra Regia’, and a Spanish language edition of Ortelius’s atlas, the ‘Theatro’ in 1588.

Hemisphere world map

Frontispiece

Title page

Text leaf with embellished letter C

Map of Canaan

Map of the Holy Land

External dimensions of Noah's Ark

The sacred tabernacle

External coverings and decoration of the tomb of Christ

Sacred Judaic objects including the Arc of the Covenant and a Menorah

Eastern tribes of Israel including Manasses

Architectural sketch, building plan for a church

Temple exterior

Map of ancient Jerusalem and surrounding landscape

Title page to Biblical index with embellised letters

Text leaf with embellished letter N

Including the famous and intriguing double-page engraved map of the world, ‘Benedict Arias Montanus Sacrae 

e Tabulam ex antiquissimorum cultor familiis a Mose recensitis ... Aø. 1571’, which shows how the world was repopulated by Noah’s descendents after the flood, and includes an anonymous landmass where northern Australia is now known to be.

Full vellum decorated in blind, vellum ties.

18 parts in one volume. Folio. Double-page engraved map of the world, 3 further double-page maps and 11 plates.

Volume Eight of ‘The Polyglot Bible’