Olfert Dapper
| Olfert Dapper | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | January 1636 Amsterdam, Dutch Republic |
| Died | 29 December 1689 Amsterdam, Dutch Republic |
| Occupation | Geographer, writer |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Subject | History, geography |
| Notable works | Description of Africa (1668) |
Olfert Dapper (6 January 1636 – 29 December 1689) was a Dutch physician and writer. He wrote books about world history and geography, although he never travelled outside the Netherlands.
Olfert Dapper was born in early 1636 in the Jordaan in Amsterdam. On 6 January 1636, he was baptized in the Lutheran church in Amsterdam.
In 1663 wrote a book on the history of Amsterdam. His Description of Africa (1668) is a key text for African studies. His book "is one of the most authoritative 17th century accounts on Africa published in German. Translations appeared in English, French, and German. Dapper never traveled to Africa but used reports by Jesuit missionaries and other (Dutch) explorers. Within a few years he published about China, India, Persia, Georgia, and Arabia. His books became well known in his own time. The fine plates include views of Algiers, Benin, Cairo, Cape Town, La Valetta, Marrakech, St. Helena, Tangier, Tripoli, Tunis, as well as, animals and plants.
Dapper was buried on 29 December 1689 in Amsterdam.
To this day, Dapper's book Description of Africa is a key historical text on African history
In Amsterdam, the street Dapperstraat was named after him. The Dutch writer Willem Frederik Hermans wrote a book on him with the title Het Evangelie van O. Dapper Dapper (1973).
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