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This colourful early 18th century map shows Asia along with part of Europe and Africa. It is decorated with a painting of Asian traders negotiating over a sale of carpets, while three lions, a ship and city walls complete the picture.

An 18th century map of the Netherlands, with an inset map of Southeast Asia highlighting the trade of the Dutch and their colonies. Within the inset is a drawing of the port of Batavia (Jakarta) with sailing ships in the harbour and mountains behind.

This colourful map of Asia has an elaborate cartouche decorated with Asian merchants and their goods, including a censer (incense burner), jewels and fruits. They are surrounded by Asian animals, a man riding a camel, and two Japanese samurai.

This colourful map of Asia has an elaborate cartouche decorated with Asian merchants and their goods, including a censer (incense burner), jewels and fruits. They are surrounded by Asian animals, a man riding a camel, and two Japanese samurai.

A map of the Java Sea between Java, Sumatra and Borneo. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, used to aid navigation. The cartouche and scale are decorated with paintings of Asian people and mythical creatures including cherubs.

The outline of the island of New Guinea is very vague on this early 17th century map of Southeast Asia. The cartouche is decorated with two figures of Asian warriors: one holds a spear, the other a sword. There are also drawings of mermaids.

This colourful map of Asia has an elaborate cartouche decorated with Asian merchants and their goods, including a censer (incense burner), jewels and fruits. They are surrounded by Asian animals, a man riding a camel, and two Japanese samurai.

This colourful map of Asia has an elaborate cartouche decorated with Asian merchants and their goods, including a censer (incense burner), jewels and fruits. They are surrounded by Asian animals, a man riding a camel, and two Japanese samurai.

A map of the Java Sea between Java, Sumatra and Borneo. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, used to aid navigation. The cartouche and scale are decorated with paintings of Asian people and mythical creatures including cherubs.

The outline of the island of New Guinea is very vague on this early 17th century map of Southeast Asia. The cartouche is decorated with two figures of Asian warriors: one holds a spear, the other a sword. There are also drawings of mermaids.

A navigation map of the Banda Islands marked with bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and anchor points. On the island of Goenonghapy (Banda Api), a volcano erupts (‘api’ means ‘fire’ in Indonesian), and there is a military fort (‘Campa Nga’) on Nera.

The orientation of this map is unusual, with north to the right, so the west coast of Borneo is at the top. Its cartouche is decorated with drawings of seafaring people, and the scale with cherubs playing with cartography tools such as callipers.