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Original fileThe Mummelsee in the Black Forest
Kircher - Mundus Subterraneus p558 - Mummelsee
About This Work
An engraving showing a wide, panoramic view of the Mummelsee, a deep circular lake nestled in a mountainous landscape. The terrain is characterized by steep, rugged slopes and tree-lined ridges, with a small path winding through the foreground and side. Two large, scaled beasts resembling lizards or dragons are positioned on the surface of the water, while on the left bank, two human figures in period attire appear to observe them. The sky is filled with dense, parallel horizontal lines indicating weather or atmospheric tension.
This image is a plate from Athanasius Kircher's 'Mundus Subterraneus', a foundational work of early modern natural philosophy that attempted to describe the Earth as a system of interconnected, subterranean currents and fires. The inclusion of monstrous creatures in the lake reflects Kircher's tendency to blend empirical geographical observation with folklore and speculative biology.
Inscriptions(Latin and German)
Katzen kopff, Caput Catti Horngrindt Grindt Retro hinc montem est Wild See Keifers Steg Mummel See Occ. Sept. Merid. Ort Nix et Glacies
Translation
Cats' head, Cat's head; Horngrindt [Mountain name]; Grindt [Mountain name]; Behind this mountain is the Wild See; Keifers Steg [Path/Pass name]; Mummel See [Lake name]; West, North, South, East; Snow and Ice.
Connected Texts
Athanasius Kircher, Mundus Subterraneus
This print serves as a visual documentation of geological and legendary sites discussed in the second volume of Kircher's universal study of the earth's interior.