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The arrows on this map mark the direction of the seasonal monsoons experienced around the Sunda and Maluku Islands (mainly modern Indonesia) during the late 18th century. Each arrow has a label in French, indicating the month.

The arrows on this map mark the direction of the seasonal monsoons experienced around the Sunda and Maluku Islands (mainly modern Indonesia) during the late 18th century. Each arrow has a label in French, indicating the month.

The many navigation aids marked on this map, including bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, shoals, and elevations of hills, were designed to guide ships around this part of the west coast of Timor. The Dutch fort Concordia is also marked.

This map shows the empires and kingdoms of Southeast Asia. Its decorative cartouche features drawings of plants, a camel, a vase, and the heads of children blowing to represent wind. An inset shows tall buildings, possibly Asian temples.

This map shows the empires and kingdoms of Southeast Asia. Its decorative cartouche features drawings of plants, a camel, a vase, and the heads of children blowing to represent wind. An inset shows tall buildings, possibly Asian temples.

This map of the Sunda Isles (‘Isles de la Sonde’) (with red borders) and Maluku Islands (‘Isles Moluques’) (blue borders) also includes mainland Southeast Asia (green borders), the Philippines (yellow borders) and New Guinea (green borders).

This late 18th century map of Southeast Asia is by the Dutch cartographer Henri Abraham Chatelain (1648–1743). As often found on maps of this time, larger settlements are represented by drawings of small groups of buildings.

Hand-drawn map of islands in the Riau Archipelago, with bathymetry (sea depth) marked. It features side views of hills (‘elevations’) to use as landmarks, including ‘Jehore hill’, probably in Johor at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.

There is a port at the south of this map of the Côn Đảo archipelago (Vietnam), and notes giving details such as a suitable location to careen ships (turning a ship on its side for cleaning or repair). A ruined English fort is also marked.

Map of the Gulf of Siam (Gulf of Thailand) with shoals and small islands marked. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, while the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), both used to aid navigation. There is an inset map of the Redang Archipelago.

Map of the coast of Selangor on the west of the Malay Peninsula. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), and there are drawings of the side views of mountains (elevations), all to aid navigation.

Two coastal navigation maps: one of the Mergui Archipelago off the west coast of Myanmar; and one of Phuket (‘Isle Junkseilon’) and the surrounding islands off the west coast of Thailand. Both feature bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs.