Asiae VI Tab., Gerard Mercator’s 1595 vision of the Middle East in Ptolemaic dress, presents Arabia and the adjacent waters with a scholar’s rigor and an artist’s flourish. Here the Red Sea (Sinus Perficus) and the Persian Gulf (Sinus Persicus) are emblazoned in Latin, their shores ringed with ports and promontories drawn from both classical authorities and more recent reports. The peninsula’s contours, from Yemen and Oman to the Gulf littoral of Iran, are rendered with striking clarity, while a chorus of ancient toponyms anchors the scene in antiquity. At once erudite and exploratory, the sheet encapsulates the sixteenth century’s central project: reconciling the wisdom of Claudius Ptolemy with the accelerating flow of new geographic knowledge.

Mercator’s achievement lies in the way he refines a Ptolemaic framework without abandoning it. Working within the familiar trapezoidal projection of the classical tradition, he calibrates coastlines, river courses, and inter-city distances to align more closely with late Renaissance intelligence from merchants, diplomats, and sailors. The result is a learned palimpsest where Arabia Felix, Arabia Deserta, and Persis coexist with emergent understandings of the Red Sea’s narrows and the Persian Gulf’s curvature. In doing so, Mercator elevates Ptolemy from venerable authority to living interlocutor, demonstrating how ancient schema could be disciplined and improved by contemporary observation.

The map’s content is as rich as its intent. Political and physical geographies interlock: regional divisions are drawn with careful borders, while mountain chains and hill ranges step across the page in textured hachures that suggest relief and route alike. Rivers braid toward the coasts, threading city to city in a network of commerce and pilgrimage. Latin labels abound, from storied towns to lesser-known capes and islands, each name chosen to bridge classical reference and early modern usage. In the ample margins, historical notes and measurements provide a running commentary, guiding the reader through sources, coordinates, and the rationale for Mercator’s judicious corrections.

Equally arresting is the sheet’s visual language. An ornate cartouche anchors the bottom right, its strapwork framing a central inscription that proclaims the title with controlled exuberance. Decorative borders, disciplined calligraphy, and finely graded coastal shading project both elegance and authority. Color—applied with restraint yet purpose—distinguishes lands from waters and clarifies internal divisions, underscoring the map’s dual identity as scientific instrument and object of beauty. Every design choice, from the cadence of letterforms to the balance of blank sea against busy littoral, attests to a cartographer who saw no boundary between accuracy and aesthetics.

Historically, the map stands at the fulcrum between classical cosmography and the modern world atlas. It testifies to the enduring relevance of Ptolemy’s methods while acknowledging the realities of late sixteenth-century knowledge: expanding trade across the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, renewed interest in Arabian and Persian polities, and a humanist appetite for reconciling texts with things seen. For the discerning collector, Asiae VI Tab. offers more than a portrait of Arabia and the Persian Gulf; it is a meditation in copper and color on how civilizations inherit, test, and ultimately refine the maps by which they understand their world.

Countries and regions on this map

• Arabia
• Yemen
• Oman
• Iran
• Red Sea
• Persian Gulf
• Surrounding smaller islands and water bodies

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Cartouche: An ornate decorative cartouche at the bottom right with a central inscription.
• Geographical Labels: Various city names, rivers, and geographic features labeled in Latin.
• Borders: Detailed outlines of regional borders between territories.
• Bodies of Water: The Red Sea (Sinus Perficus) and Persian Gulf (Sinus Persicus) labeled prominently.
• Topographical Features: Indications of hills, mountains, and valleys.
• Inscriptions: Historical notes and details in the margins.

Historical and design context

• A striking example of Mercator's Ptolemaic map of the Middle East.
• It highlights Mercator’s efforts to refine Ptolemaic maps based on contemporary geographical knowledge.
• Represents ongoing influence of Claudius Ptolemy, a 2nd-century Greek-Roman scholar whose work laid foundations for modern cartography.
• The map integrates political and physical features, showcasing geographical detail and historical significance.
• It reflects a merging of ancient and modern geographical understanding.
• Features decorative cartouches and ornate borders typical of maps from this period.
• The colorful presentation with intricate illustrations represents the blending of artistry and scientific pursuit in cartography.
• It symbolizes the transition from classical to modern geographical understanding in the late 16th century.
• The map is a testimony to the ongoing relevance of ancient knowledge in shaping contemporary perspectives.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 18x24in (45x60cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.