The period from the late 15th to the 17th century when European explorers set off into the unknown to discover new seafaring routes across the globe. The Age of Discovery often resulted in the plundering and colonization of non-European regions, such as the Americas. Newly ‘discovered’ places were exploited for their raw materials, wealth, and commodities, including slaves. The Age of Discovery had a huge impact on early modern European cartography, with new maps constantly being produced to account for the influx of information.

A black and white oval world map with several panels of text and embellished borders. The illustrative map features pictorial elements including sea monsters, wild animals and even some more curious figures.