Scale: circa 1:2,500,000. Single sheet. Woodcut. Medium: 2 leaves joined at vertical centre-line. Scale: [ca.1:2 500 000]. Woodcut on paper. Plane projection. Watermark of a crescent moon with a star.

It is thought to be the earliest surviving printed navigational chart. No copies of the first (1539) edition of this map are known, and this is the only known copy of the second (1541). A third edition with Vavassore's name removed was published by Pagano in 1558. Vavassore was a prominent Italian engraver and printer working in Venice. He is unusual among Venetian cartographers in this period for producing maps from woodcuts rather than engraved copper plates.

The textual panel on this map states that it was intended to be used by sailors travelling between Venice and Constantinople and Venice and Syria: "This small drawing contains all that may be met by sailors between Venice and Constantinople, or Venice and Syria, including islands, reefs, bays, headlands, harbours, and sea towns, and all those places worthy of a name so far known to the sailor. Describing all that may be remarked from existing sea charts. Drawn with all skill and diligence by Giovanni Andrea Vavassore..."

Further reading:
Roberto Almagia, 'La Carta d'Italia di G.A. Vavassori'. La Bibliofilia (1914) 81-8.
Roberto Almagia, 'Il Mappamondo di G.A. Vavassore'. Rivista Geografica Italiana, xxvii (1920).
Leo Bagrow, 'Giovanni Andrea di Vavassore...a descriptive list of his maps' (1939).
Derek Howse and Michael Sanderson 'The Sea Chart' pp.29.