Portolan Charts and Mediterranean Voyages C . 1570 (Malta) 1 Page (fragment), coloured map on parchment (calfskin); 56 × 40 cm Notarial Archives of Malta Notarial Deeds of Natale Parmesciano, vol 29 Portolan charts are perhaps the most iconic cartographic artefacts of the Middle Ages and early modern period. They depict geographical locations around the Mediterranean Sea and were used to assist voyages along its coasts. Portolan charts are striking for the amount of information they contain and the detail of their representation of coastal lines. Although drawn primarily as technical devices to help pilots and sea captains, it is well known that portolan charts were also used for political and diplomatic purposes. The portolan chart presented here covers the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a fragment of a wider chart, encompassing a larger part of the Mediterranean. It was discovered recently, in 2014, in the inside cover of a collection of documents (Notarial Deeds of N...