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A red banner at the right features text that notes that the ‘Insule Molucce’ (Maluku Islands) are famous for their abundance of spices, which are sold across the world. There are also Illustrations of mermaids and sea monsters wrecking a ship.

This early map of Sumatra (labelled ‘Taprobana’) features many illustrations. In the sea, there are ships, fish and sea monsters, while on land, plantations, agricultural workers, a shepherd and wooden buildings highlight the economy of the island.

This early map of Sumatra (labelled ‘Taprobana’) features many illustrations. In the sea, there are ships, fish and sea monsters, while on land, plantations, agricultural workers, a shepherd and wooden buildings highlight the economy of the island.

This early map of Sumatra (labelled ‘Taprobana’) features many illustrations. In the sea, there are ships, fish and sea monsters, while on land, plantations, agricultural workers, a shepherd and wooden buildings highlight the economy of the island.

This early map of Sumatra (labelled ‘Taprobana’) features many illustrations. In the sea, there are ships, fish and sea monsters, while on land, plantations, agricultural workers, a shepherd and wooden buildings highlight the economy of the island.

From Sebastian Münster's ‘Cosmographia’, this map of Java features illustrations of the ‘Anthropophagi’, a mythical race of cannibals. The book also notes the religion, language, and trade (pepper, nuts, nutmeg, saffron, ginger) of the local people.

This early map of Asia includes text describing the local people, their religious beliefs, crops, spices etc. On the island labelled Angama there is a drawing of anthropophagi—members of a mythical race of cannibals—chopping up a human body.

This 1540 map by the German cartographer Sebastian Münster (1488–1552) was based on the work of the 2nd century geographer Ptolemy. On the reverse, there is Latin text giving details of the area, including crops grown.

This early map of Asia includes text describing the local people, their religious beliefs, crops, spices etc. On the island labelled Angama there is a drawing of anthropophagi—members of a mythical race of cannibals—chopping up a human body.

Early map of Asia, with the islands of Taprobana (Sumatra) to the west of the Malay Peninsula, and Timonia (Tioman) to the east. Text gives details of local economies: sandalwood on Tioman, and silver and silk at Lamai near Mallaqua (Malacca).