A RARE map left “like confetti” after hundreds of years of wear and tear went on show yesterday following extensive conservation work.
Only two other copies of the 17th-century document are known to exist. Drawn up by Dutch engraver Gerard Valck, it was discovered under floorboards in a house that was once part of the Castle Fraser estate near Aberdeen in the 1980s.
It was later saved from a skip by builders and passed to the National Library of Scotland in a plastic sack by local schoolteacher Brian Crossan.
Experts separated the antique into eight pieces to allow restoration work and, though some parts have been lost, it has now gone on show at the library’s George IV Bridge building in Edinburgh.
The process included removing the map from its original fabric backing, washing it and putting it back together with a new paper lining. This includes dealing with delicate illustrated fragments as small as a postage stamp.
Conservator Clare Thomson said the document was in such poor condition she feared she would be unable to piece it back together.
She said: “Never have I worked on anything as bad as this. It was so fragmented, some of it was just like confetti.”
Viewing the result, Crossan said: “This is a truly amazing piece of work. I would never have imagined that this could have been done. I was sure the map was beyond saving and it’s great to see it once more hanging proudly on a wall for everyone to see, instead of abandoned and out of sight.”
The piece includes a world view as seen from Amsterdam in the 1600s, including the Dutch colonial ambitions. Australia is labelled New Holland and the country’s long-running rivalry with Spain is seen in a depiction of atrocities committed by Spaniards in South America.
Curator Paula Williams said: “Maps were largely symbols of power at this time. They were very expensive to make and even more expensive, relatively, for people to buy. Whoever owned this map wanted to display their own power.”
Dr Esther Mijers, a lecturer in history at Edinburgh University, added: “This map throws up more questions than it can answer. It would be wonderful if people wanted to do more research on the map and its story.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here