iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

It's #MapMonsterMonday! Gerard Mercator, Jodocus Hondius, and Petrus Kaerius’s 1607 map of Wales features a pair of beasts prowling the Irish Sea. Also, check out the quarter compass in the corner. This map is part of the David Rumsey collection.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

🔥🎸 One of my favorite guitarists covering my all-time favorite guitarist. Nothing short of epic!

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

It's #MapMonsterMonday! Alain Manesson Mallet’s c1683 map of the British Isles and surrounding lands and waters features this beast (fish? dolphin?) clearly not in the mood for Monday. This copper-engraved, hand-colored beauty from @hello.bungalow holds a place on the living room wall.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

It's #MapMonsterMonday! Abraham Ortelius’s 1595-6 map of Utopia has a great leviathan lurking offshore and several creatures in one of the cartouches. This map is held by the King Baudouin Foundation in Brussels.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

It's #MapMonsterMonday! Johannes Janssonius’s c1658 map of Japan and surroundings features a grumpy sea monster (or is it Godzilla?) and some scale bar mer-cherubim. The map is fascinating, as it includes Korea as an island and the phantom island, Company’s Land. This map is held by the Rijksmuseum.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

It's #MapMonsterMonday! Lucas Janszoon Waghenaer’s 1584 map of part of the Norwegian coast features a sea dragon, one fish, clearly impressed by the compass, and a second trying to ignore the cartouche. This map is held by the National Library of Norway.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

The salmon and the oysters delight every time!

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Thought there was a crocodile there at first.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

It's #MapMonsterMonday! Cornelis de Jode’s 1593 map of Africa contains numerous sea monsters and reported geography of the interior, as well as depictions of some of the continent’s peoples. This map is held by Bibliothèque nationale de France.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

2/2 It's #MapMonsterMonday The map was meant to display the wealth of fisheries and hunting grounds to entice Europeans to move there. This map is held by the New York Public Library.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

1/2 It's #MapMonsterMonday! This 1689 map of "New France" in eastern Canada and adjacent lands and colonies is the work of Coronelli, du Tralage, Nolin, and Baudrand. It features a couple of sea beasts, a clam shell housing scale bars, and a lake called Ontario.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Abraham Ortelius’s 1608 map of Genoa features two sea monsters, a pair of griffins, and a horn-blowing lion with a crown. Impressive compass, too! This map is held in the David Rumsey Collection.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Jodocus Hondius’s 1590-1602 map of the world hosts a pair of ferocious beasts and a flying fish. Note the European uncertainty about the poles and Australia at the time. This map is held by a private collector.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Has he ever even ridden a horse?

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It was spectacular. The clouds stayed away, unlike in Austin in 2024. Like diamond rings? Check out the third photo.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Abraham Ortelius’s c1608 map of the Iberian Peninsula features a billfish, a dolphin, and a would-be Hercules holding up the cartouche. This map is held by the Folger Shakespeare Library in DC.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Gerard Mercator’s 1600-1699 map of South America features a very spiny fish, a flying fish, a Patagonian giant, and some folks potentially exploring Antarctic waters. This map is held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

The “H” is just part of the ⚜️, and the “Y” is an arrow. The rest is a little confusing. Here are some other variations with Latin and Dutch.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! John Speed’s 1676 map of Canaan hosts a trio of toothy sea beasts and attempts to locate and depict many Biblical scenes across the region and in an inset of Jerusalem. This map is held by the National Library of Israel.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Abraham Ortelius’s 1824 map of ancient Sicily features a sea lion (with a mane), a whale, and a very angry dolphin. Beware. This map is held by Bibliothèque nationale de France.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Oh, just one more question, Mr. Falk…

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Tommaso Porcacchi’s 1572 map of Madagascar features a sea camel(?) and sea dragon (or serpent) frothing the waters. Cherubim adorn the cartouche. This map is held by the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Gerard Mercator’s c1698 map of Persia and Central Asia features this Caspian Sea monster (likely a sturgeon, not the Soviet Ekranoplan). There’s also a face at the bottom of the cartouche. This map is held by a private collector.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Jan Baptista Vrients’s 1608 map of Genoa features a pair of sea beasts (one startled by the compass), and a siren with head plumage and braided tails. And how about those griffons? This map is held by a private collector.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

It’s #MapMonsterMonday! Tomaso Porcacchi’s 1620 map of Malta features a haggard merman just trying to keep it together, a merdog(?), and a couple of winged sea beasts. Harpies and a lion’s head adorn the cartouche. This map is held by the Gennadius Library in Athens.

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Whit Durham @canebrake.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Wind gusts of up to 70 mph and a tornado are possible. The gods are angry.

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