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 OLFERT DAPPER (1636-1689)
Dapper
(1636-1689) had his Naukeurige beschrijvinge der Afrikaensche gewesten van Egypten,
Barbaryen, Libyen, first published in Amsterdam in 1668.
In the text it is said that Cairo consists of 30,000 houses, the figure cited by
Pagano in his Descrizione of 1549 and repeated by Braun in the letterpress to his 1572
view. However, Dapper questions it. He wrote, "there are 24.000 mosques (however
he also cites Villamont as giving the figure of 11.000 mosques) and 26,000 streets,
then perhaps 300,000 houses would be nearer the truth."
In fact, he emphasizes the size of Cairo: 'Rome, Constantinople and the most
beautiful cities do not equal it in size.' (1686. p.57)
Referances
Dapper,
Olfert, 1639-1689.
Description de l'Afrique : contenant les noms, la situation & les
confins de toutes ses parties.
Amsterdam : Wolfgang, Waesberge, Boom & van Someren, 1686..
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