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Juan de la Cosa (c. 1450 – 28 February 1510) was a Castilian navigator and cartographer, known for designing the earliest European world map which incorporated the territories of the Americas discovered in the 15th century.
Juan de la Cosa was an important early explorer of the Americas and a cartographer responsible for important maps such as the Mappa Mundi of 1500. De la Cosa traveled with Christopher Columbus and helped to navigate his ship, the Santa Maria, to the Americas.
Juan de la Cosa's work is full of narrative detail, such as the depiction of Saint Christopher at the top of the map: a place usually reserved for an image of the Virgin...
Juan de la Cosa, the owner of Columbus’ flagship, Santa María, in 1500 produced a map recording Columbus’ discoveries, the landfall of Cabral in Brazil, Cabot’s voyage to Canada, and da Gama’s route to India.
The map of Juan de la Cosa is a world map that includes the earliest known representation of the New World and the first depiction of the equator and the Tropic of Cancer on a nautical chart. The map is attributed to the Castilian navigator and cartographer, Juan de la Cosa, and was likely created in 1500.
Juan de la Cosa sailed with Columbus twice and drew a world map in 1500 that challenged the idea of Asia in the new lands. He also explored the northern coast of South America and was killed by the Indians in 1509.