{"product_id":"old-rare-map-of-iran-by-moll-1728-caspian-sea-caucasus-astrakhan-baku-isfahan","title":"Old Rare Map of Iran by Moll, 1728: Caspian Sea, Caucasus, Astrakhan, Baku, Isfahan","description":"\u003cp\u003ePersia, Caspian Sea, done by ye Czar, and Part of Independent Tartary distills the Age of Enlightenment’s thirst for precision into an arresting portrait of a region in motion. Published in London in 1728 by Herman Moll, it draws upon the landmark Russian surveys of the Caspian commissioned by Peter the Great and executed by Karl (Carl) van Verden. Moll frames Persia and the Caucasus within a newly trustworthy Caspian, tying political frontiers to the sea’s remeasured shores and marking the arteries of trade and encounter that radiate from it. The title’s nod to “ye Czar” signals not only source authority but also the geopolitical drama behind the data—imperial science pressed into service of imperial ambition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Caspian itself is the map’s protagonist, its outline traced with unusual fidelity after Van Verden’s hydrographic work. To the north, Astrakhan sits amid the spreading fingers of the Volga’s delta; to the west, the Caucasus rise like a fortified spine toward the narrow gate of Derbent. Southward, the lush littoral of Gilan hugs the sea below steep ranges that lift abruptly to Persia’s interior plateau. East and west, rivers gather—some labeled, others implied—showing the Kura and its companion courses hurrying to the sea. Peninsulas and bays are sharpened, the coastline no longer the conjectural crescent of tradition but a measured basin, long and asymmetric, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMoll deftly marries that physical clarity to a political tapestry. Borders thread across provinces and principalities, with Persia’s great seats—Isfahan, Tabriz, and the rising town of Tehran—anchoring routes through the Iranian plateau. Around the inland sea, Baku and Derbent punctuate the Caucasian corridor, while Astrakhan crowns the north as Russia’s gateway. Gilan, marked with care, signals the wealth and strategic sensitivity of the Caspian’s southern shore. Further east, the broad designation of “Independent Tartary” speaks to European perceptions of the steppe’s mobile sovereignties. Deserts and uplands are named and shaded, caravan paths implied by strings of towns, so that political lines and geographic realities collide—mountains funneling movement, rivers dictating commerce, the sea knitting cultures together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHerman Moll’s hand is unmistakable in the orchestration. A consummate compiler and stylist of early eighteenth‑century London, he transformed the latest reports—state surveys, merchant charts, travelers’ journals—into maps that read like narratives. Here, a decorative title cartouche carries the imprimatur of authority while marginal annotations quietly teach: Van Verden’s travels are cited, distinctions between older conjecture and new measurement are drawn, and the reader is invited to compare hearsay with instrument. Moll’s maps were admired for legibility and for judgment—what to include, what to clarify, what to celebrate—qualities that made him an influential broker of geographical knowledge at a moment when Europe sought to understand, and to reach, the East.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe historical cadence behind the engraving is unmistakable. Peter the Great’s Caspian campaigns and commercial designs thrust Russia toward Persia, with Astrakhan as a staging ground and Derbent as the key to the Caucasian gates; Moll captures that pivot with a network of ports, fortresses, and frontiers. Trade routes curl from Isfahan through Tabriz toward the western shore, while Baku, long famed for its coastal resources, faces the sea that Van Verden had at last measured with rigor. In fixing the Caspian’s true shape, the map reorders strategy and commerce alike: distances recalculated, hazards charted, opportunities newly visible. It is at once a monument to precision and a window onto the ambitions that precision served.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCities and towns on this map\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTehran\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIsfahan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTabriz\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBaku\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAstrakhan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDerbent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGilan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGanja (formerly known as Ganjah)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOther associated cities and towns listed along trade routes and annotated by Van Verden’s journey\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotable Features \u0026amp; Landmarks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDetailed outline of the Caspian Sea\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAnnotations depicting Karl Van Verden's travels\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeographic features, including mountain ranges and rivers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBorders delineating various regions and principalities\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDecorative cartouche containing the map's title and publication details\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLabels identifying desert regions, cities, and notable landmarks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical and design context\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAdditional Notes: Scarce map of Persia and the Caspian Sea and adjoining regions, published in London by Herman Moll, based upon Carl Van Verden's landmark mapping of the Caspian. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCreation Date: 1728.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker\/Publisher: Herman Moll, a noted cartographer known for his detailed maps in the early 18th century.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInteresting Context about the Mapmaker: Moll was recognized for his contribution to cartography during the Age of Enlightenment and was influential in bringing European attention to the detailed geography of regions like Persia and the Caspian Sea. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTopics and Themes: The map shows political and physical features of the region, highlighting geography, exploration routes, and interactions between cultures, indicative of rising European interest in the East.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCountries and Regions: The map covers modern-day Iran, parts of Russia, Azerbaijan, and surrounding areas in Central Asia, showcasing the strategic importance of the Caspian Sea and the surrounding territories.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign\/Style: The map features ornate cartographic elements, including a decorative title cartouche and detailed annotations. The style reflects the artistic trends of the early 18th century. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical Significance: The map reflects the geopolitical dynamics and trade routes of the era, particularly in relation to the Russian Empire's ambitions in the Caspian region, following exploratory efforts by figures like Van Verden.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003ebest old maps\u003c\/a\u003e to see if something else catches your eye.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact me\u003c\/a\u003e to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex\/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57584468394368,"sku":"UM00263626A","price":74.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57584468427136,"sku":"UM00263627A","price":198.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x16in (30x40cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57584468459904,"sku":"UM00263628A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Map","offer_id":57584468492672,"sku":"UM00263629A","price":74.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57584468525440,"sku":"UM00263630A","price":198.0,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"A3 (297x420mm) \/ Framed canvas 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