1486 Apocalypse Manuscript from Lübeck Maps the End of the World
A unique manuscript from the 15th century, originating from Lübeck, Germany, was crafted between 1486 and 1488 and is currently housed at the Huntington Library in Los Angeles. This work, examined by cartography experts Chet Van Duzer and Ilya Dines in their publication Apocalyptic Cartography, features maps that illustrate apocalyptic themes. Among the depictions are the emergence of the Antichrist from 1570 to 1600 and a T-shaped world map that traces the expansion of Islam from 639 to 1514. Additional illustrations portray Judgement Day and compare the sizes of Earth and Hell. Van Duzer highlights the manuscript's anti-Islamic bias and its sophisticated approach to thematic mapping. An earlier version was released on Open Culture in 2018.
Key facts
- The manuscript was made in Lübeck, Germany between 1486 and 1488.
- It is written in Latin and resides at the Huntington Library in Los Angeles.
- Chet Van Duzer and Ilya Dines published their research in the book Apocalyptic Cartography.
- The maps depict the rise of the Antichrist from 1570 to 1600 using nested triangles.
- A T-shaped map shows the world before the Apocalypse with text noting Islam's rise from 639 to 1514.
- A circular map has five swords pointing at the edges of the known world.
- The manuscript includes a section on astrological medicine and a treatise on geography.
- Van Duzer calls the work 'very anti-Islamic' and notes its poor penmanship.
Entities
Artists
- Chet Van Duzer
- Ilya Dines
- Betsy Mason
- Greg Miller
- Jillian Scudder
- Josh Jones
Institutions
- Huntington Library
- National Geographic
- Open Culture
- New York magazine
- Phys.org
Locations
- Lübeck
- Germany
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Constantinople
- Durham
- North Carolina