Saxemberg Island – Mid-Atlantic Phantom of 1670 John Linderman
Saxemberg · Saxenberg · Saxenburgh
Phantom cartographic (1670–1816 sightings)·Dutch VOC / British exploring / Admiralty·🇸🇭 South Atlantic Mid-Atlantic Ridge phantom south of Ascension, United Kingdom (Mid-Atlantic phantom)
About
About Saxemberg Island – Mid-Atlantic Phantom of 1670 John Linderman
Saxemberg (Saxenberg) – low-lying mid-Atlantic phantom island reported 1670 by Dutch captain John Linderman on the Lindeman at 30°45′S 19°40′W on Mid-Atlantic Ridge, depicted with narrow isthmus and two hills 'like St. Helena', charted 180 years and searched by Cook (1775), Lady Juliana (1801) and Matthew Flinders (1809 Investigator) who found 3000 m water. Linderman's longitude was 10° off due to post-Tobias chronometerless dead-reckoning (30°45′S 19°40′W vs true 30°45′S 9°W?). Matthew Flinders' 1809 longitude of nearby South Atlantic ridge proved no island, and 1804 and 1816 volcano-seamount sightings may be Tristan da Cunha confusion or transient Surtseyan islet.
Why it mattersExemplifies pre-chronometer mid-Atlantic phantom persistence and transient volcanic islet hypothesis (e.g., Ferdinandea 1831). Mid-Atlantic Ridge phantoms inform DBAE seamount database.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Whether Saxemberg was transient 1804/1816 volcanic isle vs pure dead-reckoning ghost of St Helena
- 02Could Linderman's longitude error place Saxemberg at Tristan da Cunha Gough group?
Theories
- 01Tristan da Cunha 37°06′S 12°17′W is nearest real islands 1600 km south
- 02Ferdinandea precedent for transient Atlantic volcanism
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Sighted 1670 Linderman; charted 1670–1852; searched Cook 1775, Flinders 1809
- Period
- Phantom cartographic (1670–1816 sightings)
- Culture
- Dutch VOC / British exploring / Admiralty
- Purpose
- Phantom mid-Atlantic victualling stop – St-Helena-like
- Abandoned
- Refuted 1809 Flinders + 1873 Challenger sounding 3000 m
- Rediscovered
- Phantom 1809–
- Excavation
- Not applicable
Sighted 1670 Linderman; charted 1670–1852; searched Cook 1775, Flinders 1809
Initial construction
c. 1440 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
30.7500° S · 19.6500° W · 0 m · 3 mapped features
Saxemberg Charted Position (30°45′S 19°40′W)
phantom position30°45′S 19°40′W Linderman charted isthmus-island where Flinders found 3000 m – phantom centre
30.7500° S · 19.6500° WMid-Atlantic Ridge Depth Sounding (Challenger)
soundingChallenger 3000 m sounding at phantom position – deep water proof
30.7000° S · 19.6000° WTristan da Cunha Reference (Real Neighbour)
islandTristan da Cunha at 37°06′S 12°17′W – 1600 km south nearest real land
37.1100° S · 12.2830° W