Cartouche met rolwerk en schelpornamenten 1580s

This anonymous engraving from the 1580s is an example of a cartouche, a decorative element often used in maps and illustrations. The ornate design features scrolling foliage, shells, and a central oval with the inscription "Ex tabula Danie lis Spec kel", meaning "From the map of Daniel Speckel." The cartouche frames the title "Argentoratensis Agri Descriptio", indicating a description of the area around the city of Strasbourg (formerly Argentoratum). This intricate cartouche exemplifies the decorative style prevalent in cartographic work of the 16th century.