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This colourful map of Asia has an elaborate cartouche featuring two Asian men talking—one carries a bow, the other smokes a long pipe—while a lion sits nearby. The scale is also illustrated, with drawings of Asian birds.

This colourful map of Asia has an elaborate cartouche featuring two Asian men talking—one carries a bow, the other smokes a long pipe—while a lion sits nearby. The scale is also illustrated, with drawings of Asian birds.

The coast of New Guinea (‘Nova Guinéa’) is represented in part by a dotted line on this mid-18th century map, indicating that the exact coastlines were unknown at this time. Originally in French, the map has been modified to add Dutch text as well.

The coast of New Guinea (‘Nova Guinéa’) is represented in part by a dotted line on this mid-18th century map, indicating that the exact coastlines were unknown at this time. Originally in French, the map has been modified to add Dutch text as well.

The coast of New Guinea (‘Nova Guinéa’) is represented in part by a dotted line on this mid-18th century map, indicating that the exact coastlines were unknown at this time. Originally in French, the map has been modified to add Dutch text as well.

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

Map of Asia showing New Guinea (‘Nieuw Guinee’) and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) as one landmass, demonstrating that there was some uncertainty about the area’s geography in the early 18th century. However, it does include New Britain (‘N. Bretanje’).

The London-based cartographer Herman Moll (1654?–1732) created this map of New Guinea and the neighbouring islands of maritime Southeast Asia. It shows that in the 1730s, the details of New Guinea and Australia (‘New Holland’) were uncertain.