Charting the landscape of Christian Egypt from the Nile Valley to the desert monasteries.
Carte de l’Égypte Chrétienne [Map of Christian Egypt].
$375
1 in stock
Description
This large-format thematic folding map presents a comprehensive cartographic survey of Christian Egypt, tracing the geographic distribution of bishoprics, monasteries, convents, and major pilgrimage centers along the Nile Valley, Delta, and adjacent desert regions. First issued in 1954 under the auspices of the Société d’Archéologie Copte, the map reflects a scholarly effort to document the historical landscape of Egyptian Christianity from Late Antiquity through the medieval period.
The Nile forms the central organizing axis of the composition, rendered in pale blue and flanked by a dense constellation of red crosses marking episcopal sees and monastic foundations. Major Christian centers cluster along the river corridor from the Delta south through Upper Egypt, while additional sites are found in the Eastern Desert, the Sinai, and the oases of the Western Desert, underscoring the reach of monastic life far beyond settled agricultural zones. Distinct symbols differentiate active convents, ruined or abandoned foundations, bishoprics, and pilgrimage sites, with a detailed legend clarifying the hierarchy and function of each location.
The topography is stylized but informative: deserts are lightly washed, mountain ranges sketched in ochre, and caravan routes traced in dashed red lines, underscoring the role of travel, pilgrimage, and isolation in Coptic religious history. Decorative elements—including a compass rose, small pictorial vignettes, and animal motifs—lend the map a visual richness that bridges scholarly documentation and didactic display.
The verso contains explanatory text in French and English, along with bilingual title panels reading Carte de l’Égypte Chrétienne and Map of Christian Egypt, indicating an intended international academic audience. Together, recto and verso form a unified educational object that situates Coptic Christianity firmly within Egypt’s physical geography, illustrating how religious life, settlement, and landscape were deeply intertwined.
Cartographer(s):
The map was prepared under the auspices of the Société d’Archéologie Copte, the leading scholarly body devoted to the study of Coptic history, archaeology, and geography in Egypt during the mid-20th century. The cartographic compilation is generally attributed to Charles Bachat, a French-trained scholar and draftsman associated with archaeological and historical mapping projects in Egypt in the 1940s–50s. Working at the intersection of archaeology, historical geography, and cartography, Bachat specialized in translating complex scholarly data—monasteries, bishoprics, pilgrimage routes, and desert settlements—into clear visual form. His work on this map reflects the Society’s broader mission: to document the spatial history of Christian Egypt with academic rigor, drawing on textual sources, archaeological surveys, and ecclesiastical records to create a reference tool for researchers rather than a commercial or decorative map.
Condition Description
Wear at folds.
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