In her mind, Sido reviewed the information. There were several known early 16th century maps that included the Canadian Atlantic coast. One was created by Juan de la Cosa, whose birthplace was probably Cantabria on the Northern coast of Spain. From a family of sailors and ship owners, Juan de la Cosa was the owner of Columbus’ flagship, the Santa María, and he sailed with Columbus on numerous voyages. On his Map of the World, in Spanish he clearly signed his name. "Juan de la Cosa made this in the port of Santa Maria in the year 1500".
Because it might have been made earlier, the date of the Cantino Planisphere was misleading. 1502 was the date that this map was smuggled (by Alberto Cantino) from Portugal to the Duke of Ferrara. The actual date when this map was created -- probably by a Portuguese chart maker -- might have been earlier than the map included in the Music Box Book of Hours.
Regardless, the significance of the inclusion of a medieval French map of the New World in a book of hours that she had discovered -- concealed in a painted music box purchased at an Art Institute fundraiser -- was inescapable. On her mind were childhood memories of growing up in a household where her father played clarinet in a Creole-Cajun jazz band and her mother played Zydeco fiddle. There were complex genealogical histories on both sides of her family; this was not unusual where she came from. Also familiar was the haunting Louisiana French that she remembered spoken by the musicians, and the way that families came together to face hard times.