Reproduction in original size, cm 158x133, published in 1000 copies, printed in colour on parchment, editorially mounted on modern canvas with sticks. Perfectly preserved. The Hereford map, named after the town for whose cathedral it was made, is T-O derived in shape, drawn on a single sheet of parchment, and is the largest medieval map known to date. Based on traditional sources (the Bible, C. Jiulius Solinus, Paul Orosius, Isidore of Seville and earlier maps, such as that of the Blessed of Liebana, it is very similar to the map of Ebsdorf and the map of Sawley, long known as the Map of Henry of Mainz, and thus does not reflect the geographical knowledge of the 13th century (e.g. it depicts the Caspian Sea as a gulf in the Ocean surrounding the world, whereas William of Ribruck had already reported in 1255 that it was completely surrounded by land). It was painted between 1276 and 1283 by Richard of Haldingham, also known as Richard de Bello. It depicts the known world based on historical, biblical, classical and mythological notions. The inscriptions are in black ink with red and gold added, while seas and rivers are depicted in blue or green (with the exception of the Red Sea, which is painted red). It depicts 420 cities, 15 biblical events, 33 animals and plants, 32 people and 5 mythological scenes. Jerusalem is at the centre of the world, as Christian tradition dictates. The map is oriented with the east at the top and shows the Garden of Eden in a circle at the edge of the world. Britain is depicted in the north-western corner. Europe is called ‘Africa’ and so Africa is called ‘Europe’. The continents are divided by the Mediterranean Sea and the rivers Don and Nile.