ABSTRACT
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN RUSSIA all the maps of the famous "Geography" of Claudius Ptolemy in the edition of Sebastian Munster allegedly of 1540 are published fully with all the details, and also all the maps of "Supplement to Ptolemy" allegedly of 1597, created by Cornelius van Wytfliet. In the second chapter FOR THE FIRST TIME IN RUSSIA the rarest geographical "Atlas" of Abraham Ortelius allegedly of 1590 is published.
All the maps are published in the view, convenient for study of the valuable historical material. Each map of Ptolemy and Wytfliet is reproduced not only fully, but also on additional four sheets, where its parts are zoomed.
Analysis of the maps, made by the authors, showed that the reflected on them geographical data is well agreed with the new chronology, established earlier with mathematical and astronomic methods. Probably the maps of "Geography" of Ptolemy, Wytfliet and "Atlas" of Ortelius reflect the authentic geography of the "antiquity" of the XIV-XVI centuries, but they were considerably edited in the XVII-XVIII centuries.
The present publication of many rarest ancient maps will be useful for everyone, interested in the Russian and universal history. A great possibility to continue study of the maps opens to the readers. They will join an exciting journey by the ways, cities and lands of the Great = "Mongol" Empire of the XVI – beginning of the XVII century.
