Mundus Subterraneus

Athanasius Kircher


The Jesuit priest and professor of mathematics, philosophy and oriental languages, Athanasius Kircher worked in Würzburg and Worms. In 1678 he published his most famous work, Mundus subterraneus (Subterranean World). The exact title of the work is:


Mundus subterraneus
Athanasii Kircheri e Soc. Jesu Mundus subterraneus, in XII libros digestus.
Amsterdam: Joannes Janssonius à Waesberge & Filios, 1678.

458 Blatt, pp. i-xx, 1-366, i-vi; i-viii, 1-507, i-ix; 26 Tafeln; 383x240 mm


The book describes a variety of underground things: Caves, volcanoes and springs. But the book also contains a compilation of the most famous giants. There is an illustration in the book that shows a kind of order of the biggest giants: