A Cryptogram in the Compass Roses of the Majorcan Portolan Charts from the Messina-Naples Mapmakers School

              Almogaren XXXVI / 2005 Wien 2005 285 - 295
Francisco J. Martin-Gil, Pablo Martin-Ramos & Jesus Martin-Gil*
A Cryptogram in the Compass Roses of the Majorcan
Portolan Charts from the Messina-Naples Mapmakers School
Key words: Majorcan portolans, compass roses, "T(fleur-de-lis)MPLOS+" inscription,
cryptogram, compass,mapmakers
Resumen:
EI contenido de! presente articulo es relativo al hallazgo de Ja inscripcion
"T(flor-de-lis)MPLOS+" en las rosas de los vientos de algunos portulanos,
principalmente de los siglos XVI y XVII, procedentes de cartografos como
Bartolommeo dalli Sonetti, Albino de Canepa, Jacopo Russo, Battista Agnese,
Mateus Prunes, Diogo Homem, Joan Martines, Bartolomeu Olives y Juan
Oliva. La primera referencia a esta inscripcion se encuentra en el Atlas
Catalan (1375) en torno a Ja ultima circunferencia de Ja carta de mareas, en la
hoja relativa a los diagramas astronomico y cosmografico, junto al hombre
zodiacal. La ultima referencia a ella esta presente en una brujula fabricada
en Livorno en 1719. EI conjunto de letras considerado (TMPLOS) constituye
bien un acronimo o un criptograma. En el primer caso, es posible atribuir las
letras T, M, P, L, 0 y S a los vientos Tramontana (N), Maestro (NW), Ponente
(W), Libeccio (SW), Ostro (S) y Sirocco (SE). En el segundo caso, si se acepta
como buena la asignacion de Ja letra E a Ja flor de lis y se procede a una
lectura en sentido contrario a las agujas del reloj (como realmente aparece en
las rosas de los vientos), es posible reconstruir Ja palabra TEMPLOS (un
termino hispano-portugues) sin ambigüedad alguna. No obstante, el caracter
rotario de Ja disposicion de las letras ofrece varias interpretaciones que
evocan a la Orden de los caballeros Templarios. Asi, LOSTEMP pudiera
significar L(aus) O(rdo) S(upremus) TEMP(li).
Abstract:
We report the finding of the "T(fleur-de-lis)MPLOS+" inscription in the
compass roses from some portolans, mainly ofXV and XVI centuries, from
map-makers as Bartolommeo dalli Sonetti, Albino de Canepa, Jacopo Russo,
Battista Agnese, Mateus Prunes, Diogo Homem, Joan Martines, Bartolomeu
Olives and Juan Oliva. The first reference to this inscription on nautical maps
*Laboratorio de investigaciones sobre Conservacion del Patrimonio Historico-Artistico
de Castilla y Leon. Universidad de Valladolid. ETS Ingenieria Agraria, Avenida de Mad­rid,
57, E-34004 Palencia (Spain).
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appears in the Catalan Atlas (1375) surrounding the last circumference ofthe
tide chart, in the sheet related to the astronomic-cosmographic pattems,
together with the zodiacal man. The last reference to it is in a compass built
in Livomo in 1719. The set ofletters considered (TMPLOS) constitutes either
an acronym or a cryptogram. In the first case, it is possible to attribute the
letters T, M, P, L, 0 and S to the winds Tramontana (N), Maestro (NW),
Ponente (W), Libeccio (SW), Ostra (S) and Sirocco (SE). In the second
interpretation, if our assignment ofthe letter E to the fleur-de-lis is accepted
and the other letters are read counter-clockwise (as they really appear in the
compass roses), it is possible to reconstruct the word TEMPLOS (a Spanish­Portuguese
term that means Shrines) without ambiguity. Nevertheless, the
rotary character ofthe letter disposal offers various interpretations that evoke
the Knights Templar Order. So, LOSTEMP could mean L(aus) O(rdo)
S(upremus) TEMP(li).
Zusammenfassung
Wir berichten über die Entdeckung der Inschrift "T(Lilie)MPLOS+" in den
Kompassrosen einiger Portolane, hauptsächlich des 15. und 16. Jhs., von
Kartenzeichnern wie Bartolommeo dalli Sonetti, Albino de Canepa, Jacopo
Russo, Battista Agnese, Mateus Prunes, Diogo Homem, Joan Martines,
Bartolomeu Olives und Juan Oliva. Der erste Nachweis für diese Inschrift
auf nautischen Karten erscheint im Katalanischen Atlas von 1375, wo sie im
Umfeld der Gezeitentabelle auftaucht; auf dem Blatt, welches den astrono­misch-
kosmographischen Mustern gewidmet ist, zusammen mit dem "Tier­kreis-
Mann". Der letzte Nachweis befindet sich in einem Kompass von 1719,
gebaut in Livomo. Die Zeichenfolge T, M, P, L, 0, S stellt entweder ein Akro­nym
dar oder ein Kryptogramm. Im ersten Fall ist es möglich die Buchsta­ben
den Winden Tramontana (N), Maestro (NW), Ponente (W), Libeccio
(SW), Ostra (S) und Sirocco (SE) zuzuordnen. Die zweite Interpretation er­laubt
es, das Wort Templos (span.-port. "Gotteshäuser") ohne Zweideutigkeit
zu lesen, wenn unsere Zuweisung von E zur Lilie akzeptabel ist und wenn
die restlichen Zeichen dem Uhrzeigersinn entgegen gelesen werden, wie sie
tatsächlich in der Kompassrose erscheinen. Nichtsdestoweniger bietet die
rotierende Anordnung der Buchstaben verschiedene Interpretationen, die
zum Ritterorden der Templer führen. So könnte LOSTEMP L(aus) O(rdo)
S(upremus) TEMP(li) bedeuten.
This article concerns the finding and interpretation of the "T(fleur-de­lis)
MPLOS+" inscription in the compass roses from some portolans of XV
and XVI centuries.
Portulano is an ltalian term to indicate "nautical description". lt is equivalent
to the Greek periplus (a harbour-book of sailing directions) but including a
map showing the coast line and a few places along it. These portolans came
into use in the XIII-XVII centuries and were made in Majorca, Catalonia and
Sicily. Their existence was referred in "Phoenix of the maivels ofthe Orb"by
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Raymond Lull in 1286. An order of Pedro III in 1352 made them obligatory in
thejCatalan-Aragonese ships. They were made in parchment and protected by
wood covers. Their most singular element was the compass rose, usually
surrounded by another sixteen secondary roses, with straight lines represen­ting
the courses. Tue first compass rose figured on a portolan appeared in the
Catalan Atlas of 1375 (Fig. 1 ).
Two common elements in the compass roses are signalling North by a fleur­de-
lis or an arrow head, and East by the cross of the Order of Christ. However,
only a limited number of compass cards, all belonging to end of the XV c.,
included letters or additional signs. The analysis of such motives shows the
presence of a kind of C, Gor T interlaced between the fleur-de-lis and the
cross; to the left of the fleur-de-lis, a sign in the form of crab, scissors or letter
M; the letter P traced with confusing features and, successively, the letters L,
0 and S (Fig. 2).
In our opinion, the Spanish denomination "rosas de los vientos" to designate
these portolan course roses came from an unusual rose of 8 winds that we
found in the Historical Miscellaneous Codex (Xllc.), a deformation of the
Vigiliano. From their initial precedent in the VII c. (a codex of the Capitular
Library of the Verona Cathedral and in the St. Isidore's treaty "Of Nature
Rerum '), wind charts have traditionally consisted of 12 winds and not 8. Tue
oldest and largest "wind rose" is engraved on the market place flagstone paving
ofthe roman town ofThugga, in Tunis. lt dates from the beginning of III c.
and contains the name of 11 winds.
In this context, it is evident that the set of letters considered (TMPLOS)
constitutes either an acronym or a cryptogram. In the first case, it is possible
to attribute the letters T, M, P, L, 0 and S to the winds Tramontana (N), Maes­tro
(NW), Ponente (W), Libeccio (SW), Ostra (S) and Sirocco (SE). The letter
G (alternative to T) and the + sign should correspond, respectively, to the winds
Grecco (NE) and Levante (the East, where Christ was bom), thus completing
the attribution.
In the second interpretation, if our assignment of the letter E to the fleur­de-
lis is accepted and the other letters are read counter-clockwise, it is possible
to reconstruct the word TEMPLOS (a Spanish-Portuguese term that means
Shrines) without ambiguity. Nevertheless, the rotary character of the letter
disposal offers various interpretations that evoke the Knights Templar Order.
So, LOSTEMP could mean L(aus) O(rdo) S(upremus) TEMP(li).
Tue first compass rose with the TEMPLOS registration appears in a portolan
from Bartolommeo dalli Sonetti, 1485 (Fig. 3). This is followed by the ones in
maps from Albino de Canepa (1489), Jacopo Russo (1528), Battista Agnese
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(1544) and Mateus Prunes (1559). The others were in two portolans from 1561
and 1566 attributed to Diogo Homem, a Portuguese cartographer who serviced
foreign countries, and in the charts and atlas (Fig 4) made by the Majorcan
family Olives (and members of its school) located in Messina and Naples
(Table 1).
lt is remarkable that in the latest compass roses some mistakes appear. So,
in the one from Bartholom Crescentio (1596) the primitive sign of the T is
confused with a G and a spurious T is intruded in place of the E. This same
mistake appears in all the geographical charts from Ignazio Danti (1536-1586)
in the Vatican Museums (Geographical Map Gallery). We consider that these
are simply incorrect transcriptions. The main mistake, using a G instead of a
T, remained along the XVII and XVIII c. as it is shown either in the chart from
Pietro Cavallini, in a compass built in Livomo in 1719 and other found in
Marseille (Fig. 5).
As mentioned above, the TEMPLOS term concems the Knights Templar
Order and their Portuguese heir, the Order of Christ. Actually, the maritime
expansion of Portugal emerges with the foundation of the Academy of Sagres
by Henri the Navigator (great master of the Order of Christ) after the
acceptance in 1307, in the port of Serra d'El Rei, of the Templar fleets and
their cartographic legacy (De Mahieu). The idea of associating this hypothetical
legacy to the utilization of the TEMPLOS caption by Diogo Homem is
somewhat risky, but still tempting. The principal fact supporting such
association is the training received by Diego Homem under his father's, Lopo
Homem Reineis, tutelage and especially ofhis father's associates, Pedro and
Jorge Reinel. They all were mystical-visionary cartographers in the service of
Manuel of Portugal and with Templar-francophile affections. lt cannot be by
chance that the most important of the maps of Pedro Reinel (that of1485, gift
of Manuel I to Francisco I) appeared, in the 1960s, in the Gironde district
(were the Atlantic Templar fleet was stationed).
Several objections to the previous hypothesis may be given: that in the
portolans of the XIVc the TEMPLOS registration doesn't appear in compass
roses, thereby apparently breaking the Templar continuity from the XIII c.;
that the TEMPLOS term isn't either not French or ltalian; and that the Diogo
Homem's connection with the trade school of the Olives isn't known, nor the
reason which caused them to adopt such legend.
Firstly, it is accurate to itemize that, though the portolan compass roses of
the end of the Middle Age don't contain the cryptogram TEMPLOS, this later
appears in other elements of the charts. For example, in the Catalan Atlas
(1375), we found it surrounding the last circumference of the tide chart (Fig.
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6), in the sheet related to the astronomic-cosmographic patterns, together with
the zodiacal man. On the other hand, we think that the registration in other
portolans could be supplied by over-sized church drawings (as those of Paris,
Lisbon and Ceuta shown in the cartulano from the Pombo Tower ofLisbon).
We also believe that Jafuda Cresques (Abraham Cresques brother's), cofounder
of the Academy of Sagres, could have been responsible of giving continuity to
the mentioned tradition.
In relationship to the second objection, we think that the French TEMPLE
was substituted by the Spanish-Portuguese TEMPLOS by reasons of political
opportunity. We know that Jorge Reinel wrote in Spanish. He was still very
young when he went to Seville in 1519 where he made charts and instructed
young men in cartography; among these were the Portuguese Diogo Ribeiro
(who was active in Castile between 1520 and 1535) and possibly the Italians
Russo and Agnese.
However, the third objection is important, since we don't know Diogo
Homen's link with the Olives and the reason for adopting the TEMPLOS le­gend
as a familiar identity element.
Things would be easier if we could show than the Homem and the Olives
were, as we believe, all Jews and that the founder of the Olives dynasty,
Bartolomeu Olives, was Portuguese. The reality is that the known cartographic
production ofBartolomeu starts in Majorca in 1538 and continues in Messina
until 1558. Contemporary of Bartolomeu and with an entirely Majorcan name
was Jaume Olives. His production extended from 1550 to 1566 with charts
successively documented in Majorca, Messina, Naples and Marseille.
The Templar roses representation in portolans of Majorcan tradition with
Italian influences continues outstanding during the XVI and XVIIc, always
under the hand of members of the family Olives or its disciples. Between them
can be cited Francisco Oliva, 1562-1615; Domingo Olives, with a chart in
Naples of1568; Joan Riczo Oliva, 1580-1593; Juan Oliva, 1598-1650; and finally,
Juan-Bautista Caloiro Oliva (1673). Within this traditional family there were
also isolated cartographers, such as Joan Martines, cosmographer of Philip II.
He was son of convert Majorcan Jews and resident ofMessina and Naples. His
work extended from 1556 to 1596. In addition to various portolan charts on the
Mediterranean Sea, 33 atlases in which America appears have been attributed
to him. A careful examination ofhis 1578 map of the West Hemisphere leads
to a recognition ofthe seven cities of Cibola, represented in the purer style of
the first portolans.
Both features the presence of TEMPLOS cryptogram and the absurd
persistence of adopting mythical elements (Fig. 7) in the maps onward XVI c.
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are hard to explain. We fear that the motive of the incorporation of the
cryptogram TEMPLOS in the roses of the last portolans may have been simply
that of acquiring credit through the Templar secrecy, as the Masonry did years
afterwards. At any rate, neither these supposed resources nor the beauty ofthe
miniados permitted further delay in the force of the portolans within an era in
which the Promise-Land hadn't only been discovered but was being exploited.
The new navigators were demanding accuracy and progress in the charts, not
baroque style and mystery.
References:
Almagia, R. (1957): I Lavori Cartografici Di Pietro e Jacopo Russo, Accademia
Nazionale Dei Lincei, 12:7-10:301-319. Rendiconti della Classe di Scienze
moral, storiche e filologiche, Serie 8, vol. 12, fase. 7-10, Luglio-Ottobre 1957,
301-319.
Bagrow, L. (1951): Die Geschichte der Kartographie, Berlin.
Campbell, T. (1987): Portolan Charts from the late Thirteenth Century to 1500
in The History of cartography, vol I, pp 371-464, Ed. Harley J.B. and
Woodward D., The University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
Caraci, G. (1959): Italiani e catalani nelle primitiva cartografia medievale,
Roma.
Cervera Centre (1998): Historia de la cartografia. 7
http: //195. 76.10.3/cervera.top/portulanos.html
Cerezo Martinez, R. (1994): La cartografia nautica espaiiola en los siglos XIV,
XV y XVI. Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional, CSIC.
Chandeigne, M. (1992): Lisboa extramuros 1415-1580, Alianza Ed., Madrid.
Crescentio (or Crescenzio), B. (1596): La carta marina, Rome; (1602): Il Porto­lano
Maggiore and Della Nautica mediterranea, Rome.
De Mahieu, J. (1981): Les templiers en Amerique, Ed. Robert Laffont, Paris.
De Silva y Verastegui, S. (1984): Iconografia del s. X en el reino de Pamplona­Najera.
Instituci6n Principe de Viana.
GonzalezAnt6n, R.; Tejera Gaspar, A. (1990): Los aborigenes canarios. Gran
Canaria y Tenerife.- Ediciones Istmo, Madrid.
Liter Mayayo, C. (1994) Cartografia de Espaiia en la Biblioteca Nacional:
Siglos XVI al XIX. Madrid, Biblioteca Nacional.
Martin Meras, L. (1993): Cartografia maritima hispana.
Rey Pastor, J.; Garcia Camarero, C. (1960): La cartografia mallorquina. CSIC,
Madrid.
Sevilla, J.M. (1999): Monestir de Miramar and Trinity College (Balearic
Islands). Cartografia Mallorquina. 7
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http:/ /www.bitel.es/ dir?miramar / cartografia.htm.
Thben, B. (1997): Origins ofthe Compass Rose Symbology. The Compas Rose.
http: //www.gisnet.com/ gis/notebook/comprose.html.
Caption of Figures:
Figure 1: Catalan Atlas. Compass rose.
Figure 2: Compass rose. Cryptogram TEMPLOS
Figure 3: Compass roses by B. Sonetti, A. Canepa, J. Russo & B. Agnese
Figure 4: Compass roses by M. Prunes, D. Homem, J. Martines & B. Olives
Figure 5: Compass roses by B. Crescentio & P. Cavallini and compass from
Livomo and Marsella (XVIIIc)
Figure 6: Catalan Atlas. Tide Chart. Cryptogram TEMPLOS in the last cir­cumference.
Figure 7: Persistence of mythical elements in maps: St. Borondon island in
the chart known as "Plan de Jas afortunadas yslas de/ reino de Canarias".
Anonymous. ca. 1765.
lt is remarkable the presence, left of Hierro island, of the Tramontana­Metzodi
line of the portolan of Abraham Cresques, which defines, almost
surely, the first meridian.
Fig.1
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Table 1. Portolan-charts drawn in the XV1h and XVJ!h centuries which
include compass roses with the cryptogram TEMPLOS1•
Bartolommeo dalli Sonetti, 1485 James Ford Bell Library, University of Minnesota
(Bartolommeo Zamberti)
Albino de Caneoa, 1489 James Ford Bell Librarv, Universitv of Minnesota
Jacopo Russo, 1528 See Kathleen Cohen in:
http://qallerv.sisu.edu/cartoqraohv/maps/maps
Battista Agnese Porto/an of U.S. Congress Library (Vellum Chart Collection), Washington
The Atlantic Ocean, 1544
Jacopo Russo, 1549 ( referred) Consiqlio Reqione Sardeqna Librarv
Mateus Pru nes Porto/an Chart of U.S. Library of Congress, Washington
Mediterranean Wor/d, 1559
Dioqo Homem Atlas, 1561 Madrid Naval Museum
Dioqo Homem Porto/an Chart, 1566 General Librarv, Coimbra Universitv
Joan Martfnes Atlas, 1567 N. L.2
Dioqo Homem World Atlas, 1558/1568 British Librarv, London
Joan Martfnes Atlas, 1570 Madrid Naval Museum (L. Jimenez-Lorente coll.)
Joan Martfnes Atlas, 1577 The Hause of Alba (Casa de Alba), Spain
Joan Martfnes Porto/an Atlas, 1578 Huntinqton Librarv, San Marino, California (HM 33)
Juan Riuo Oliva Porto/an Atlas, 1580 Royal Palace Library , Madrid3
Bartolomeo Olives, Porto/an Atlas, Huntington Library, San Marino, California (HM32)
alter 1580
Bartolomeu Olives i Prunes Porto/an
Chart of Mediterranean Reaion, 1583 Osher Collection4
.
Joan Martfnes Porto/an Atlas, 1587 National Librarv, Madrid
Juan (Riao) Oliva Atlas, 1591 Spanish Geographie Army Service (Servicio
Geoqrafico del Eiercito), Madrid
Bartholom Crescentio Chart, 1596 Museo Correr Library. Venezia
Pietro Cavallini, Porto/an Atlas, 1677 Huntington Library, San Marino, California (HM 38)
Notes:
Also, we have found a compass rose in a map ofTuscani from Stefano Buonsignori
(1589) painted on the wall of the called 16-room of maps, in the Uffizi Gallery in
Florence.
2 According to the historians of the Naval Museum in Madrid, the oldest Joan
Martines' map is the one kept in this museum. The 1567 map may be wrongly
dated or could correspond the one that Guillem and Tato described in 1954 as
Benjamin Ventura's property. According to the people in charge ofthe Library of
Congress in Washington, the oldest is the one in their power, dated in Messina, ca.
1560.
3 From Conde Gondomar Collection
4 According to a reference in the web (http://www.malvinas.com/siglol6.htm), it is
also known a Bartolome Olives' map ofthe year 1562, with indication ofthe Samson
islands (Falkland Isles).
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Fg.2
Fig. 3
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Fig. 5
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S" BOllONDdN
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