The first world map including the American continent we have proof of, is the one designed by Juan de la Cosa, which is still today preserved in the Museo Naval in Madrid. It covers the whole Europe and Africa as well as an important part of Asia, and what is even more important: the West Indies and a great part of the American coast.
It consists of a scroll on two joined leathers measuring 1.83 meters long and 0.96 meters high. The main axis coincides with the Tropic of Cancer, which is one of the three drawn reference lines. This is the reason why it is so difficult to compare this map with an actual one. Even though, considering the then cartographic tools, Juan de la Cosa’s work is praiseworthy because of the high precision Europe and Africa’s outline is made.
In the map, there is a wide variety of illustrations. At the beginning, there is a reference to Christopher Columbus: an image of St. Christopher crossing the river with a wooden walking stick carrying on his shoulder Baby Jesus. Below there is an explanation:
Juan de la cofa la fizo en el puerto de S. mª. en el año de 1500
This means: “Juan de la Cosa made it in the Port of Santa Maria in 1500”. Under it, there is a 16-armed compass card with a Virgin at the center and a caption marking the “Marcoceanum”.
The rest of the map also has a great variety of the main geographical elements’ illustrations. In Asia they stand out the image of a headless man, referring to the monsters described by Marco Polo in his adventures or the Biblical allusions to Babel’s Tower or the Three Wise Men.
The main ports, winds and caravels are also represented.
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