Old Map of the Persian Gulf and Straits of Hormuz by Bertius, 1600: Bahrain, Qatar, al‑Qatif

Ormus (Straits of Hormuz), engraved by Petrus Bertius around 1600, captures one of the most consequential maritime passages of the early modern world. Prepared in the milieu of the celebrated Caert-Thresoor first issued by Barent Langenes in 1598, this early state reflects the intense European curiosity about the gateway between the Persian Gulf and the wider Indian Ocean. The map’s vibrant palette and ornate borders frame a composition that elegantly balances political and physical detail, while a decorative cartouche announces the subject with flourish befitting the era’s pocket atlases. In Bertius’s hands, the narrows of Hormuz become a stage for commerce and rivalry, linking Persia, Arabia, and India, and illuminating the corridors along which spices, silks, and silver moved.

The coastline is drawn with careful attention, flanking the Persicus Sinus and the perilous Bahria Fretum. Place names familiar yet intriguingly transformed by Latinization dot the shores: Catiff for al‑Qatif; I. Baraem for the Bahrain archipelago; Catura for the Qatar peninsula; and Sunaim, likely a coastal tract on the Arabian side. Hormuz itself commands the straits; Bandar Abbas and Muscat, though not explicitly named, are implied by their strategic locations. Strikingly, the region of today’s Dubai and Abu Dhabi remains sparsely labeled, a candid admission of European knowledge gaps circa 1600. Inland, stylized mountains and stippled deserts suggest rugged terrains that fed caravans converging upon gulf harbors.

Anchoring the map’s significance is the historical role of Hormuz as imperial tollgate and cosmopolitan mart. Under Portuguese dominion since 1515, the island-ringed strait functioned as a hinge between Safavid Persia and the Indian Ocean, exacting duties on vessels bearing Indian spices, Arabian horses, Persian silks, and Gulf pearls. Bertius’s view lands at a pivotal moment: the Dutch and English companies were testing Portuguese supremacy, and within two decades the Anglo-Persian expedition of 1622 would oust the Lusitanians. This sheet thus distills an era when control of a narrow channel could redirect global wealth, and when intelligence about anchorages, winds, and coastal toponyms became instruments of strategy.

Bertius presents a concise geography elevated by artistry. An intricate cartouche ornaments the title, while crisp engraving delineates islands and promontories that shepherd ships toward and away from the narrows. The typographic hierarchy lets key hydronyms—Persicus Sinus and the fretum—sing out, with mountain ranges engraved in caterpillar-like relief and deserts rendered as textured expanses. Political awareness mingles with physical observation: borders are suggested by shifts in nomenclature and color, yet the draughtsman’s eye remains firmly on the coasts, where power was projected and fortunes made. The result is a portable, intelligible maritime portrait—both elegant object and practical digest of the gulf.

Petrus Bertius, a Flemish humanist and geographer, was among the most skillful synthesizers of new global intelligence in the age of compact atlases. Working closely with the Middelburg circle around Langenes, he distilled large, complex regions into lucid plates and scholarly commentary, a talent that later earned him distinction as a court cosmographer in France. His Ormus endured in print from 1598 to 1650, republished up to a dozen times across Langenes’s and his own works—longevity that testifies to its clarity and utility. Collectors prize this early state for the window it opens onto European geographic literacy at the turn of the seventeenth century, and for the poetic precision with which it frames the world’s most strategic strait.

Cities and towns on this map

• Hormuz (Iran)
• Bandar Abbas (Iran; not explicitly named but likely implied)
• Muscat (Oman; not explicitly named but likely implied)
• The map does not feature extensive town names, focusing more on geographical landmarks and bodies of water.
• Population sizes of historical settlements are difficult to ascertain accurately in relation to present demographics, but Hormuz was notably significant for trade during the period.

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Ornate borders and a decorative cartouche featuring intricate designs.
• Detailed depictions of the coastlines and geographical features.
• Major bodies of water labeled (e.g., Persicus Sinus, Bahria Fretum).
• Geographical names and topographical features (mountains, deserts).

Historical and design context

• Title of the Map: Ormus (Straits of Hormuz)
• Creation Date: 1600
• Mapmaker/Publisher: Petrus Bertius
• Context of Publication: Early state of Bertius’s depiction of the Straits of Hormuz, originally appearing in the 1598 edition of Langenes’s Caert-Thresoor.
• Notes on Publication: Features place names such as Catiff, I. Baraem, Sunaim, and Catura; few labels around modern-day Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
• Reprints: Republished multiple times (up to 12 times) between 1598 and 1650 in the works of Langenes and Bertius.
• Themes Depicted: Illustrates both political and physical features of the Straits of Hormuz, a significant geopolitical area in early modern trade routes.
• Countries/Regions Shown: Covers areas that are part of modern-day Iran, Oman, and the Persian Gulf territories.
• Design/Style: Vibrant color palette typical of early 17th-century maps.
• Historical Significance: Provides insight into the early understanding of the region and trade routes that were critical during this period.

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