Giovanni da carignano
Encyclopedia
Giovanni da Carignano, or Johannes de Mauro de Carignano (Genoa
c.1250-Genoa
1329) was an priest
and a pioneering cartographer from Genoa
.
There is little certain information about his life. There is a Genoese document (dated June 9, 1291) referring to a certain Giovanni, son of Mauro, from Carignano
(Johannes de Mauro de Calignano). Other fragments suggest he had two brothers, Giacomo a notary, and Anselmo a doctor. Further documents suggest he was still alive in September 1329, but dead by May, 1330.
From 1293 to 1329, Giovanni da Carignano was the rector of the church of San Marco al Molo (Saint Mark in the Pier), a parish in Genoa
, just a few meters away from the bustling port of Genoa
, arguably the most important seaport in the Mediterranean Sea
at the time.
Carignano is important to the history of cartography
as the author of an early 14th C. nautical portolan chart
, depicting, with much skill, most of the world as then known to his Italian contemporaries (Europe, North Africa, Mediterranean, Black Sea and much of the Middle East). Although the northern reaches of Europe are unclear, it contains possibly the first depiction of Scandinavia
as a peninsula
. Carignano's portolan has been variously dated between 1305 and 1327.). If the earlier dates are accepted, then it might be the first known portolan signed by its author (i.e. before Pietro Vesconte
's portolan of 1311). The signature read: Presbiter Johannes Rector sancti Marci de portu Ianue me fecit..
The Carignano chart was long held by the Archivio di Stato in Florence
, Italy. Alas, already fragile, the chart was destroyed in 1943 during a bombing of Naples
, where it was temporarily on exposition. All that remains of it are a set of photographs and notes by earlier scholars.
A second mysterious Carignano map, dated 1306, is mentioned routinely in 19th C. lists, but without indication of its location or description of its content, and thus either never existed beyond rumor, or has long been lost.
In this map he joins the teological tradition (Jerusalem in the centre of a T-in-O scheme) and the more accurate and up-to-date information
In the port of Genoa (1306) he interviewed the ambassadors of abissinan negus Wedem Arad
; some scholars, as Silverberg, presume he was the first european to collocate the legendary Prester John
's Kingdom in Africa
(Ethiopia
) rather than in northern Asia
.
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
c.1250-Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
1329) was an priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
and a pioneering cartographer from Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
.
There is little certain information about his life. There is a Genoese document (dated June 9, 1291) referring to a certain Giovanni, son of Mauro, from Carignano
Carignano
Carignano is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 20 km south of Turin. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 8,777 and an area of 50.2 km².-Geography:...
(Johannes de Mauro de Calignano). Other fragments suggest he had two brothers, Giacomo a notary, and Anselmo a doctor. Further documents suggest he was still alive in September 1329, but dead by May, 1330.
From 1293 to 1329, Giovanni da Carignano was the rector of the church of San Marco al Molo (Saint Mark in the Pier), a parish in Genoa
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Genoa
The Archdiocese of Genoa is a metropolitan see of the Catholic Church in Italy.Erected in the third century, it was elevated to an archdiocese on 20 March 1133...
, just a few meters away from the bustling port of Genoa
Port of Genoa
The Port of Genoa is an Italian seaport on the Mediterranean Sea.With a trade volume of 58.6 million tonnes it is the first port of Italy, the second in terms of twenty-foot equivalent units after the port of transshipment of Gioia Tauro, with a trade volume of 1.86 million TEUs.- Structural...
, arguably the most important seaport in the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
at the time.
Carignano is important to the history of cartography
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. Combining science, aesthetics, and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality can be modeled in ways that communicate spatial information effectively.The fundamental problems of traditional cartography are to:*Set the map's...
as the author of an early 14th C. nautical portolan chart
Portolan chart
Portolan charts are navigational maps based on realistic descriptions of harbours and coasts. They were first made in the 14th century in Italy, Portugal and Spain...
, depicting, with much skill, most of the world as then known to his Italian contemporaries (Europe, North Africa, Mediterranean, Black Sea and much of the Middle East). Although the northern reaches of Europe are unclear, it contains possibly the first depiction of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
as a peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
. Carignano's portolan has been variously dated between 1305 and 1327.). If the earlier dates are accepted, then it might be the first known portolan signed by its author (i.e. before Pietro Vesconte
Pietro Vesconte
Pietro Vesconte was a Genoese cartographer and geographer. A pioneer of the field of the portolan chart, he influenced Italian and Catalan mapmaking throughout the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. He appears to have been the first professional mapmaker to sign and date his works...
's portolan of 1311). The signature read: Presbiter Johannes Rector sancti Marci de portu Ianue me fecit..
The Carignano chart was long held by the Archivio di Stato in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy. Alas, already fragile, the chart was destroyed in 1943 during a bombing of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, where it was temporarily on exposition. All that remains of it are a set of photographs and notes by earlier scholars.
A second mysterious Carignano map, dated 1306, is mentioned routinely in 19th C. lists, but without indication of its location or description of its content, and thus either never existed beyond rumor, or has long been lost.
In this map he joins the teological tradition (Jerusalem in the centre of a T-in-O scheme) and the more accurate and up-to-date information
In the port of Genoa (1306) he interviewed the ambassadors of abissinan negus Wedem Arad
Wedem Arad
Wedem Arad was of Ethiopia and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the brother of Yagbe'u Seyon and seized power from his nephews.-History:...
; some scholars, as Silverberg, presume he was the first european to collocate the legendary Prester John
Prester John
The legends of Prester John were popular in Europe from the 12th through the 17th centuries, and told of a Christian patriarch and king said to rule over a Christian nation lost amidst the Muslims and pagans in the Orient. Written accounts of this kingdom are variegated collections of medieval...
's Kingdom in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
(Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
) rather than in northern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.