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A detailed portolan chart or nautical map from 1591 illustrates the coastlines of Europe, North Africa, and the British Isles. The map is crisscrossed by a dense web of rhumb lines originating from nine decorative compass roses distributed across the sea areas. Large sailing vessels, known as galleons, and various sea creatures are illustrated in the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea. Elaborate coats of arms represent major powers, including the Spanish Empire, France, England, and Sweden. The far-left border features a decorative vertical scale bar topped with an animal resembling a rhinoceros, with a seated human figure at the base. Coastal names for hundreds of ports are written in small script perpendicular to the coastlines. A large, ornate cartouche with Dutch text sits in the bottom-left corner.
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