Levâmi'u'n-Nûr Fî Zulmet-i Atlas Minor

Levâmi‘u’n-Nûr fî Zulmet-i Atlas Minor, one of the most exquisite books ever written in the field of historical geography in terms of the Ottoman scientific and cultural heritage, was authored by Kâtib Çelebi, one of the leading scholars of the 17th century. The work is a commentary and translation of the famous Latin work by the renowned geographer Gerardus Mercator (commonly known as Atlas Minor) which integrated the science of geography with the term “Atlas” and introduced a projection method still in use today. While Levâmi‘u’n-Nûr was translated to serve as a source for Cihannümâ, it also established its own distinct identity through Kâtib Çelebi’s original interpretations, evaluations, and explanations, and was subsequently used as a source in later works. Furthermore, since the maps drawn according to the Mercator Projection were transcribed by Katib Çelebi himself, the work effectively fulfills an important function in conveying developments in the field of geography in the Western world to Eastern scholars. The work was published as a facsimile edition along with a study prepared by Ahmet Üstüner and H. Ahmet Arslantürk.