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A late 18th century map of Asia, with notes on the principal states, empires and kingdoms of Asia written in French on the right-hand side.

Some regions on this map of Southeast have a descriptive label: Sumatra is described as having mines of gold, silver, iron, and sulphur; and elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, dragons and crocodiles. Gilolo has rice, sago and turtles. Ambon has nutmeg.

Some regions on this map of Southeast have a descriptive label: Sumatra is described as having mines of gold, silver, iron, and sulphur; and elephants, tigers, rhinoceroses, dragons and crocodiles. Gilolo has rice, sago and turtles. Ambon has nutmeg.

This 18th century map of Southeast Asia by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy features the national borders of the Philippines in green, and of modern Indonesia in yellow. The Malay Peninsula and modern Cambodia and Vietnam are in red.

This 18th century map of Southeast Asia by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy features the national borders of the Philippines in green, and of modern Indonesia in yellow. The Malay Peninsula and modern Cambodia and Vietnam are in red.

This 18th century map of Southeast Asia by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy features the national borders of the Philippines in green, and of modern Indonesia in yellow. The Malay Peninsula and modern Cambodia and Vietnam are in red.

A map of a small island chain off the west coast of the island of Gilolo (modern Halmahera in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia). The military forts on the islands were used by the European colonial powers during conflicts over the area’s spice trade.

From the second edition (1749) of ‘Atlas Portatif Universel et Militaire’ by the French cartographer Gilles Robert de Vaugondy (1688–1766), this map features the Philippines (in blue) and Maluku Islands (in red).

The southern coasts of Sumbawa (‘Coinbava’) and Sumba (‘Sandet’), and most of the coast of New Guinea (‘Nouvelle Guinée’) are represented by a dotted line on this mid-18th century map, indicating that the exact coastlines were unknown at this time.

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’).