Giovanni Battista Ramusio

thumb| Giovanni Battista Ramusio (July 20, 1485 – July 10, 1557) was an Italian geographer and travel writer. Quotes There is in the kingdom of Benin an ancient custom, observed to the present day, that when the king dies, the people all assemble in a large field, in the centre of which is a very deep well, wider at the bottom than at the mouth. They cast the body of the dead king into this well, and all his friends and servants gather round, and those who are judged to have been most dear to and favoured by the king (this includes not a few, as all are anxious for the honour) voluntarily go down to keep him company. Navigationi e viaggi (1550) vol. 1, pp. 125-9. Description of a voyage from Lisbon to the island of São Thomé, written by an anonymous Portuguese pilot, c. 1540, and translated into Italian by Ramusio. Translated into English by John William Blake, Europeans in West Africa, 1450–1560 (London: Hakluyt Society, 1942) vol. 1, ch. 62, pp. 150–151. See also: A. M. Boisragon · John Pory External links Category:Geographers from Italy Category:Travel writers Category:1485 births Category:1557 deaths