Rare Renaissance Map of the Arabian Peninsula by Berlinghieri & Ptolemy, 1482: Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Oman

Step into the world of Renaissance discovery with the extraordinary (Arabian Peninsula) Tabula Sexta de Asia, a masterwork of early cartography first printed in Florence in 1482. This rare and evocative map is the creation of Francesco Berlinghieri, a Florentine innovator whose daring approach redefined the boundaries of geographical knowledge. Drawing upon the ancient wisdom of Claudius Ptolemy and supplementing it with contemporary sources, Berlinghieri’s map stands apart as a vivid testament to the curiosity and ambition of the age. The Tabula Sexta de Asia is more than a geographical record; it is a visual narrative, capturing the imagination of explorers and scholars alike as they sought to understand the vast and mysterious Arabian Peninsula.

Berlinghieri’s vision was both scholarly and artistic. Unlike his contemporaries, he imbued his maps with dynamic coastlines and fluid mountain ranges, reflecting a world alive with movement and possibility. The Arabian Peninsula emerges here in a distinctly Ptolemaic form, its contours stretched and shaped by the limitations and aspirations of classical knowledge. Yet, within this framework, Berlinghieri’s artistry shines: rivers snake from central massifs to distant shores, archipelagos cluster near the Strait of Hormuz, and the coastlines of the Red Sea and Persian Gulf undulate with an almost painterly grace. This is a map where myth and reality intermingle, where the known world meets the legendary.

Among the map’s most captivating features are its depictions of the Holy Cities—Mecca (Macoraba) and Medina (Lathrippa)—set amidst stylized mountains and rivers, their positions hinting at the profound religious and commercial significance they held even in antiquity. Along the Red Sea, the bustling port of Jeddah (Badeo Regio) and the northern harbor of Yanbu are rendered with remarkable fidelity, while the fabled interior, the Rub al-Khali or Empty Quarter, is imaginatively filled with conjectural towns, rivers, and mountain ranges. Here, the boundaries between fact and legend blur, echoing the stories and speculations of sailors and traders who skirted Arabia’s uncharted heart.

The map’s eastern reaches offer an early, tantalizing glimpse of regions that would become modern Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Ancient toponyms such as Catara and Chabuata stand as some of the earliest cartographic representations of these now-vital centers, while the coastline’s distinctive scoops and bays evoke the dynamic interplay between land and sea. The inclusion of islands like Socotra and intricate archipelagos near the Strait of Hormuz further underscores Berlinghieri’s commitment to capturing both the physical and mythological geography of the Arabian world.

Francesco Berlinghieri’s legacy is that of a cartographic pioneer—one who dared to challenge convention by blending the mathematical rigor of Ptolemy with the artistic sensibilities of the Florentine Renaissance. His Tabula Sexta de Asia is a singular achievement, notable not only for its historical significance but also for its enduring beauty. To own this map is to possess a piece of the intellectual and artistic ferment that shaped the modern understanding of the world—a rare window into the imagination and ambition of the Renaissance, where every river, mountain, and coastline tells a story centuries in the making.

Cities and towns on this map

• Saudi Arabia
• Jeddah (Badeo Regio) – modern population: ~4.7 million
• Mecca (Macoraba) – modern population: ~2 million
• Medina (Lathrippa/Yathrib) – modern population: ~1.5 million
• Najran (Nagara) – modern population: ~600,000
• Al-Qatif (Magidanata, though misplaced on map) – modern population: ~500,000

• Yanbu (Iabia-Vie/Iambia) – modern population: ~250,000

• United Arab Emirates

• Abu Dhabi (Chabuata) – modern population: ~1.5 million
• Sharjah (Sacoa) – modern population: ~1.3 million

• Jazīrat as Sīnīyah (Casina) – population: small, part of Umm Al Quwain

• Qatar

• Catara (Qatar/Doha region) – modern population: Doha ~2.4 million

• Oman

• Bidbid (Vodona, misplaced in the map’s center) – modern population: ~20,000

• Nizwa (near Bidbid) – modern population: ~70,000

• Yemen

• Najran (Nagara, actually in Saudi Arabia but often associated with Yemen in ancient sources)

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Red Sea (Mare Rubrum)
• Persian Gulf (Sinus Persicus)
• Arabian Sea (Mare Erythraeum)
• Gulf of Aden (depicted)
• Alar Fl. (possibly Wadi Lamhah)
• Betio Fl. (corresponds to Wadi Fa’idah or Wadi Fayd)
• Prion Fl. (mythological, possibly the Pishon River)
• Central massif/mountain ranges depicted in stylized form
• Mountain chains running through the peninsula
• Socotra (large island off southern Arabia)
• String of islands in the Red Sea
• Archipelago-like features near the Strait of Hormuz
• Labeled regions: Arabia Felix, Arabia Petrea, Arabia Deserta
• “SARACENI” labeled in the northern desert
• Dynamic, stylized coastlines with bays and inlets, especially along the Gulf and Red Sea

Historical and design context

• Original title: (Arabian Peninsula) Tabula Sexta de Asia
• Created by Francesco Berlinghieri in Florence, 1482, based on the work of Claudius Ptolemy
• Among the earliest printed maps to depict the Arabian Peninsula in a recognizable form
• Part of Berlinghieri’s innovative atlas Septe Giornate della Geographia, notable for using multiple map projections and sources beyond Ptolemy
• Artistic map with dynamic coastlines, fluid mountain ranges, and stylized rivers
• Fills the Arabian interior (Empty Quarter/Rub al-Khali) with conjectural and mythological features, reflecting limited knowledge of the region at the time
• Shows both ancient and mythological features, including the earliest faint depictions of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates
• Blends classical knowledge, medieval legend, and Renaissance innovation
• The “first state” of the map, confirmed by specific textual features (“PAR DE ARABIA PETREA” and “SARACENI” without overprinting)
• Important for the study of early cartography and the transmission of geographic knowledge from antiquity to the Renaissance

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 90in (230cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 24x36in (60x90cm) 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 for a no-quibble refund.

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 4,000 real 5-star reviews.

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 - that's why I can offer a no-quibble refund.

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.