ISSN 1443-0568 | no. 67 | February 2004
Was Australia Named in 1545?!
![]() |
| Astronomia [cartographic
material] : Teutsch astronomei Getruckt zu Franckforth am Meyn : bei Cyriaco Jacob zum Barth, 1545 atlas ([76] p.) : ill. (woodcuts) ; 27.7 cm Maps Collection, nla.map.ra290 |
A very rare and unusual mid-sixteenth century German astronomical work has recently been acquired by the Library, and raises an interesting question.
Titled Astronomia-Teutsch Astronomei, the work was published by Cyriaco Jacob zum Barth at Frankfurt-am-Main in 1545. Written in Gothic German, the work is a detailed study of astronomy as it was known at that time and features 76 leaves with 97 or so small woodcut illustrations with text showing astrological symbols, horoscopes, armillary spheres, diagrams of the constellations, astronomical and planetary diagrams. The book is bound in early vellum bindings with contemporary manuscript. Some repair and renewal of leaves and endpapers has been undertaken.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the work is a windhead world map, oriented to the south, and with the southern hemisphere landmass titled Australia—the proper noun form of the Latin word Australis. Matthew Flinders, who is generally credited as being the first to circumnavigate the Australian continent in 1802, is also credited with assigning the name Australia to this continent although it did not immediately receive universal approval. Therefore, until now, the first map known to bear the name ‘Australia’ was Flinders own map: General chart of Terra Australis or Australia: showing the parts explored between 1798 and 1803 by M. Flinders Commr of H.M.S. Investigator (London: Published as the Act directs by G. & W. Nicol, Pall Mall, 1814 Jan.). The German map uses the term ‘Australia’ 259 years earlier than Flinders’ map.
Prior to this date, both Antarctica and Australia, usually regarded as one combined landmass, were variously known as Terra Australis Incognita, Latin for ‘unknown southern continent’, or Terra Australis Magellanica. Other terms also included Antarcticus.
The recently acquired map thus poses an intriguing question. Was Flinders
aware of the 1545 work when he suggested the name Australia in 1804,
when compiling his manuscript chart of Australia for his own epic work? Or was
it that both authors were simply using the noun form of the Latin Australis
as a more suitable name for one of the large landmasses in the southern hemisphere,
one of which now proudly bears the name?
—Maura O'Connor, Map Curator
For more information, contact maps@nla.gov.au
| Contents list for this issue of Gateways |