DAPPER, Olfert
The Flemish physician Olfert Dapper (1636-1689), a man of letters and an excellent Classical scholar, was born in Amsterdam and studied in Utrecht. Although Dapper never travelled, he dedicated himself to geographical studies, documenting his wealth of knowledge by citing the numerous sources in his works. Systematic and pivotal, he directed a team of collaborators in an exemplary manner, publishing with remarkable frequency voluminous historical and geographical works on China, Asia, Africa, America and Amsterdam, as well as on the islands of the Eastern Mediterranean. His books are illustrated with maps and engravings of rare beauty.
This publication is based mainly on ancient Greek and Latin sources: Herodotus, Pausanias, Plutarch, Ptolemaeus, Strabo, Pliny the Elder, Apollonius, Hesychius, Pomponius Mela, Solinus, Stephanus Byzantius, John Chrysostom and others. The author also bases his text on portolans, isolaria (such as those by C. Buondelmonti, B. Bordone, T. Porcacchi, M. Boschini, V.M. Coronelli), contemporary travel accounts (P. Belon, G. Sandys, Sieur Du Loir, J. Spon, G. Wheler, et alii) and reliable maps of the time (J. & C. Blaeu, et alii), as well as on testimonies by Dutch merchants. His work was published in French (1703 and 1730) and the passages dealing with Crete were also translated into Greek (in 1836 and 1999). This particular book was a reference work and a useful guide for all subsequent travellers.
Written by Ioli Vingopoulou
DAPPER, Olfert - Lesbos
DAPPER, Olfert - Rest Images
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View of Belvedere or Rizokastro fortress south of Heraklion, on the Messara plain.
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Map of the city of Rethymno with the port and surrounding area.
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Mouflon (ovis orientalis) and Cretan kri kri goat (Capra aegagrus creticus).
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Map of Peloponnese with the Ionian islands and part of Central Greece.
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Map of Peloponnese with the Ionian islands and part of Central Greece.
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Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) and frogs in Eurotas river.
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The islands Messenian Oinousses: Sapienza island, Schiza island and Venetico island.
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Map of the Strait of Drepano, together with plan of the Castle of Saint Maura on Lefkada.
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Military plans of the battle of Kalamata (1685), between the Venetians and the Ottomans.
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Ottoman banner the Venetian took during the conquest of Κoroni in 1685.
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View of the Castle of Pylos (Niokastro) with reference to the sixth Ottoman–Venetian War.
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View of Patras, with particular reference to the siege of the city by the Venetians in 1687.
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Frontispiece: Allegoric scene with angels, Hercules, Perseus, Hermes, Athena and Poseidon.
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White mint and dictamnus from Crete. Wounded wild goat eats dictamnus in order to heal its wound.
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Ancient coins of the Archipelago (Karpathos, Tinos, Symi, Megiste, Cythera, Anticythera etc.)
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Branches of wild and tame pomegranate from the Greek islands.
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Cretan inhabitant of mountainous areas carrying arch and arrows.
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Map of islets in Northern Sporades : Kyra Panagia, Gioura, Psathoura, Piperi and Prassonisso.
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View of the southwestern coast of Crete with fortress Selino.
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Frontispiece. Mythical figures symbolizing the islands of the Archipelago.
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Representation of Peloponnese as a leaf. The most important gulf and capes are noted.
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Imaginary representation of the tomb of Diogenes the Cynic in Ancient Corinth.
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Map of Astypalaia and its surrounding islets. Map of Icaria.
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