World models and maps

An example of a traditional TO-diagrams (world maps). On the left the most simple version. On the right a more complex version - some say that this might be a model for VMS f85/86. See for yourself:

Two old maps as given in "Art and Cartography, Six historical essays". ed. Davis Woodward, The University of Chicago Press, 1987. On the left: A picture from "From Mental Matrix to Mappamundi to Christian Empire: The heritage of the Ptolemaic Cartography in the Rrnaissance" by Samuel Y. Edgerton jr. On the right: plate 11 - Square T-O world map, ninth century. Bavarian State Library, Munich.

I have scanned through a book about Gothic art and the VMS does not have a Gothic "look and feel". Not square enough, not rigid enough - see the two figures below. In my opinion it should be a Renaissance artifact.

Atlas and Nimrod - ca. 1100 AD (just the essential part is shown).

From a Dutch translation of "Studies in iconology. Humanistic themes in the art of the Renaissance." 1962, by Erwin Panofsky. Plate 8 has a drawing of Atlas carrying the skies that is strangely reminiscent of the star-filled circles in the VMS. - plate 8 - Atlas and Nimrod - Rome, Biblioteca Vaticana, Cod. Pal. lat. 1417, fol 1, ca. 1100 AD. Is there some intentional pattern in the number of dots and stars, or is it just decoration ?