The Consell de Mallorca has completed a major cultural acquisition by securing a 1447 portolan chart at Sotheby’s in London, marking a significant step in reclaiming one of the most valuable pieces of medieval Mallorcan cartography. The move strengthens the island’s position as a historic hub of Mediterranean mapmaking.

The chart, created by Mallorcan cartographer Pere Rossell, also known as Petrus Roselli, is the oldest known work by the author and a key example of the renowned Mallorcan Cartographic School. Its return to Mallorca after more than five centuries represents a milestone in heritage recovery.

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Crafted on vellum and annotated in Latin and Catalan, the map offers a highly detailed depiction of the Mediterranean world, featuring hundreds of place names written in Gothic script. Portolan charts like this were essential navigation tools in the Middle Ages, highlighting the scientific and technical expertise of the period.

The acquisition followed the chart’s appearance on the international market, seen as a rare opportunity to prevent the loss of a culturally significant artifact. The initiative aligns with broader strategies to preserve and promote heritage, with implications for education, tourism, and cultural identity.

From June, the chart will be displayed at the Museu de Mallorca, allowing the public to engage directly with this unique historical piece and gain insight into Mallorca’s role in European cartography.

This acquisition reflects a growing trend in cultural policy: investing in heritage as a driver of identity, knowledge, and global recognition.