Product description puzzle .com In 1375, in the Spanish city of Majorca, the Jewish cartographer Abraham Cresques drew this famed atlas of the then-known world, stretching from Western Europe to China but not including America. This beautiful eight-paneled map is richly detailed with vivid colors and gold. It stresses astrological, astronomical, and biblical themes, with pictures of the zodiac, the planets, the Red Sea, and the Three Kings. The names of cities are written perpendicular to the coast. The writing at the top of the map is upside down, because of the tradition of spreading maps out on tables, to be viewed from each side. The puzzle comes with a 42-inch-by-15-inch sheet with a reproduction of this map on one side and, on the other, its history and particulars (in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese). Each of the 4,000 jigsaw pieces has a nonreflective surface that makes the puzzle easier to assemble. It comes with a cardboard stand on which to place the top of the box at a handy 45-degree angle, so as you work the puzzle, you can use the picture on the box top as a model. It also comes with jigsaw-preserver powder; when mixed with water and applied to the back of the puzzle, it glues the pieces together, so you can hang your finished 76-inch-by-27-inch map on the wall. Lose a piece? Educa, the Spanish company that makes this fine puzzle, will send you a replacement, free of charge. --Rebecca Hughes
