In West-Indien. Seilerne Brücken. (Ecuador)

Title

In West-Indien. Seilerne Brücken. (Ecuador)

The illustration shows in Ecuador a rope bridge over the Chiovo River from the hill Huayna Capac. An violent army, dispatched by King Huayna Capac, crossed this bridge. The reverse shows a royal burial ceremony. Book pages 81/82.

ca. 1628

Artist

Bry, de - Merian (1528-1598)

In 1631, Matthäus Merian and Johann Ludwig Gottfried published Historia Antipodum, a heavily abridged, single-volume version of Theodor De Bry’s 14-part America series. After De Bry’s death, his sons continued the project. Merian, a skilled engraver, later married De Bry’s daughter and collaborated with Gottfried. The Historia Antipodum reorganized numerous travel accounts into three chapters covering nature, exploration, and recent colonial developments. Merian and Gottfried significantly reworked the content, merging reports and integrating illustrations into the text. Their depiction of the natural world and Indigenous cultures—drawing in part on José de Acosta’s writings—was particularly influential. The book stands as one of the most ambitious works of early modern travel literature.

Historical Description

The territory of present-day Ecuador was inhabited by various indigenous peoples—such as the Cañari, Quitu, and Inca—long before the arrival of the Spanish. In the 15th century, it became part of the Inca Empire, before being conquered by the Spanish in the early 16th century. From 1533 onward, Ecuador became part of the Spanish colonial empire, initially under the administration of Peru, and later under the Viceroyalty of New Granada. In 1822, Ecuador gained its independence after the victory in the Battle of Pichincha. Since the 1970s, the country has transitioned to democracy, though it has faced economic and social challenges. It is also known for its cultural diversity and the natural treasures of the Galápagos Islands.