Kerry's present article refers to the "Computerized Information Retrieval
System (CIRS) on Columbus and the Age of Discovery" operated jointly by
the History Department and Academic Computing Services of Millersville
University of Pennsylvania. This system was also described in the pre-
viously mentioned article of 9 March. (That article can be retrieved via
the LISTSERV archive at TAMVM1 for the NAT-1492 list.) --Gary ]
I got onto Tirado's database finally; its quite an elaborate set up, tho
my impression was there wasn't yet much user input - mmost of the data
(and most of the funding) were from the Smithsonian.
Apart from the 'celebrations,' there was actually a pretty broad scope
I thought, including Heyerdahls explorations in Peru which i hadn't been
aware of.
In the context of the Quince, there are to be several exhibitions around
the country - not only this year but through to `94. Maybe it's my bias
(I was trained as a surveyor), but I thought the following info might be of
value to folks:
Facsimiles prepared by the Library of Congress appearing at various
exhibition sites throughout the 5-year observance of trhe Columbus
Quincentennial: Huejotzingo Codex (1531); Oztoticpac Land Map (ca.
1540); Diego Gutierrez map of America (1562); and Columbus Book of
Privileges (1502).
----------------------
The Library of Congress, in its Harkness Collection in the
Manuscript Division, possesses a remarkable 1531 document from
the community of Huejotzingo, Mexico. Prepared by the Indians of
the community, in response to a legal case between Hernan Cortes
and the Spanish administration in Mexico, the Codex is contained
on 8 sheets of paper, named amatl, that had been produced in
Mexico before the arrival of the Spaniards to the New World.
The codex contains illustrations of the variety of food, cloth-
ing, and other resources used by the people of Huejotzingo. The
very first illustration of the Madonna and Child prepared in the
New World appears in this document.
----------------------
Oztoticpac map (1540 Mexico)
The Library of Congress, in its Geography and Map Division,
possesses a unique map produced ca. 1540 as a result of land
litigation among the Indians of Oztoticpac, Texcoco, Mexico.
The map, [drawn on a sheet of amatl,] contains, in native writing (glyphs),
references to the land holding patterns of a native family of
Oztoticpac and the various crops that were grown on the land possessed.
The intricate accounting system and other graphic symbols used by the
Mexican Indians (Nahuatl) appear in this remarkable document. Of
utmost importance is the documentation of various fruit trees and
orchards in the farms of the family and the physical act of
crossing of Old World fruit trees onto New World root stock is
visually displayed on the map. That latter information is note-
worthy since it represents the first known appearance of such an
exchange between the two distinct worlds, Old World/New World.
----------------------
Diego Gutierrez Map of America (1562)
The Quincentenary of the voyage of Columbus to America, to be
celebrated on October 12, 1992, recognizes the event which caused
a new page of history to be turned that changed the understanding
of the world. As a result of that first of four total voyages,
the Columbus enterprise set off a determined effort by Europe to
seek understanding of the newly encountered lands.
The Diego Gutierrez map of 1562, entitled Americae sive quartae
orbis partis nova et exactissima descriptio, is the largest known
map of the New World printed up to that time. The map includes
the eastern coast of North America, all of Central and South
America, and portions of the western coasts of Europe and Africa.
Six engraved sheets are neatly joined to form a single map which
measures 93 x 86 cm. A gift of Lessing J. Rosenwald and located
in the Library's Geography and Map Division, the map is one of
two known copies, the other located in the British Library.
Diego Gutierrez was a chart and instrument maker as well as a
pilot, who was active in Spain from the early 16th century, where
he was established with the pilots and cosmographers of the House
of Trade in Sevilla; he served as the substitute pilot major of
the House of Trade in 1547. The engraver of the map was
Hieronymus Cock, a Flemish artist of considerable talent.
----------------------
Christopher Columbus' Book of Privileges (1502 Sevilla)
The Quincentenary of the voyage of Columbus to America, to be
celebrated on October 12, 1992, recognizes the event which caused
a new page of history to be turned that changed the understanding
of the world. While that event was not an isolated haphazard
occurrence, but rather the culmination of a series of intellec-
tual and nautical explorations that had occurred in the 15th
century, it was made possible through the determination and the
knowledge of Christopher Columbus with the support of the Spanish
monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella.
During his active period of exploration and administration,
Columbus reached a series of agreements with the Spanish crown on
matters related to his voyages and later administration of the
lands he reached. These agreements, or privileges, provided to
Columbus a record that he believed was necessary to be retained
for his own welfare and that of his family.
Kerry astingsh@ksuvm
PS I havent yet persuaded my Sysop to carry the Indian Affairs echo, but
it looks like Oliver is doing great.