3-057-292 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Mitilena (Lesbos), c1485. Mytilene is the capital and port of the Greek island of Lesbos. Buondelmonte's "Book of Islands" first appeared in c1420 and described all the islands in the eastern Mediterranean. Although not strictly sea charts, they must have been used on mariners' maps, and they in turn were used by seafarers. The maps developed a semi-pictorial style, showing mountains, rivers, forests, castles and harbours. Buondelmonte was a Florentine who lived for many years in Rhodes, gathering information from mariners.