Belgii veteris typvs ex conatibus geographicis Abrahami Ortelij

The map is a black-and-white copperplate engraving presenting the geography of Belgica, with the North Sea coastline running vertically along the left edge. The landmass is filled with detailed topographical icons such as hills, forests, and stylized town representations, with sea areas featuring stippling to denote water. Two ornate cartouches occupy the right side: a circular decorative frame for text at the top and a shield-like heraldic emblem at the bottom. A large, rectangular, text-heavy cartouche is situated in the upper-left corner providing the title and attribution.

This map represents the humanist effort to reconstruct the geography of classical antiquity, aligning modern political territories with historical descriptions provided by Roman authors like Julius Caesar in his 'Commentarii de Bello Gallico'. It exemplifies the Renaissance 'historical geography' tradition that aimed to visualize the landscapes of the ancient world within the context of early modern scholarship.