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On this map of the island of Timor, the Dutch and Portuguese colonial territories are divided by orange borders. The Dutch territory—most of the western half of the island—is divided by green borders into administrative districts.

The Lesser Sunda Islands are shown spread over these three late 19th century maps. Each island is divided into local administrative districts, with cities, mountains and routes marked. Shoals, lighthouses and anchor points are shown at the coasts.

Map of the Moluccas (Maluku Islands) divided into the residencies of Ternate (orange borders) and Ambon (green borders). Many place names are in Dutch and Malay, and there is an inset map of the city of Ambon. Timor is marked as Portuguese territory.

This map is colour-coded to show the different languages and dialects spoken in the Lesser Sunda Islands in the late 19th century.

A mid-19th century map of Celebes (Sulawesi) and the Lesser Sunda Islands, divided into colour-coded administrative districts.

Map of the eastern half of the Dutch colonial administrative region (residency) of Timor, with an inset map of its capital city and port Timorkoepang (Kupang). (From ‘Algemeene Atlas van Nederlandsche Indie [General Atlas of the Dutch East Indies]’.)

Map of the East Indies in the mid-19th century, with the borders of Dutch colonial territory (Dutch East Indies) marked in brown.

Map of the East Indies in the mid-19th century, with the borders of Dutch colonial territory (Dutch East Indies) marked in brown.

Although this map’s title refers to the south-western islands of the Banda Islands, it actually focuses on the Lesser Sunda Islands, including Flores, Sumba and Timor. The islands feature mountains and jungle, with shoals and reefs around the coasts.

Map of Timor with Dutch and Portuguese flags marking military forts. Details are represented pictorially e.g. villages by small houses, forests by trees. There are extensive handwritten annotations, with some text translated from Dutch to French.

This colourful hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart was designed to aid navigation. It features a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, anchor points and written notes.

Hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart of the Lesser Sunda Islands, featuring a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), shoals, reefs, elevations (side views of landmark mountains), and names of coastal settlements, all to aid navigation.