Beatus map

The Beatus map is a medieval cartographic representation originally created around 776 AD by the Spanish monk Beatus of Liébana (died 798). These maps accompanied his Commentarius in Apocalypsin and were copied in numerous manuscripts between the 10th and 13th centuries. The version depicted in the image shows a circular map oriented to the east, with distinctive features such as the depiction of the Mediterranean at the center, the tripartite division of the known world (Asia, Europe, and Africa), and theological elements such as the diaspora of the apostles after Pentecost. Beatus maps present unique peculiarities, including the representation of a fourth continent of the antipodes, a stylized version of Eden with Adam and Eve, and the indication of the apostles' tombs. Approximately a dozen versions of these maps survive, representing a synthesis of geographical knowledge and the theological vision of the medieval world.

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