photo #6891533

The Da Vinci Globe, dated 1504, is the oldest known globe to show the New World. Engraved with immaculate detail on two conjoined lower halves of ostrich eggs.If the first map to represent the American continent is that of Juan de la Cosa, made in the year 1500, and the first in which the name America appears to identify it is the so-called Universalis Cosmographia of Martin Waldseemüller, of 1507, the first globe that showed the New World was created by none other than Leonardo da Vinci in 1504.The globe is made with two bottom halves of ostrich eggshell joined together, and with a calcium counterweight placed inside the bottom one (glued with egg white) to keep the globe upright. It has a diameter of 11.2 centimeters and weighs just 134 grams. The map depicted includes drawings of ships, a volcano, sailors, a monster, waves, conical mountains, rivers and other elements and place names.