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A mid-18th century map of the Philippines archipelago, with an inset plan of the city of Manila and Pasig River. The cartouche features a drawing of an Asian and a Western man taking part in a cockfight, with a crocodile in the foreground.

This mid-18th century map of Asia features a drawing of religious imagery: Asian people are seen making offerings to two figures, including the Greek god Poseidon (or the Roman god Neptune), and kneeling as cherubs descend from the sky.

Map of the Indian Ocean dominated by a rhumbline network—a web of interconnected lines used to help plot routes—with a compass rose at the centre. At the top there are (incomplete) drawings of people with text in Dutch, French, English and Spanish.

This map's cartouche features an illustration of three men bowing before an enthroned ruler. A second image is of a procession where a horned four-armed humanoid creature is being carried on poles by two bearers, while musicians follow behind.

The cartouche on this early 18th century navigation map features the title in Latin and Dutch, as well as a wealth of detailed drawings illustrating the region’s trade: Asian merchants, their goods and animals, and two female European customers.

The illustration on this map highlights the wealth of the Asian trade routes, with merchants wearing colourful and elaborate robes presenting valuable treasures to a royal figure. A monkey, tortoise and camel emphasise the 'exoticism' of Asia.

The illustration on this map highlights the wealth of the Asian trade routes, with merchants wearing colourful and elaborate robes presenting valuable treasures to a royal figure. A monkey, tortoise and camel emphasise the 'exoticism' of Asia.

This map of India and Southeast Asia—or ‘Indiae Orientalis [East Indies]’ as it was called at the time—was published in a book documenting the travels of the German scholar and geographer Adam Olearius (1599–1671).

This map by Athanasius Kircher shows the ‘hydrophylacium’ of Asia, a mythical subterranean ocean that Kircher thought fed rivers and caused tides. Illustrations of Neptune, the god of the sea, and cherubs playing in water continue the aquatic theme.

French text on the reverse of this map describes the religion, languages, crops, trade etc. of Aracam and Pegu (Myanmar), Siam (Thailand), Cambaja (Cambodia). The map is dedicated to the Dutch merchant Christophoro Thisio.

A map of Asia decorated with colourful illustrations including two men in ‘eastern’ clothing, the Greek goddess Athena with a coat of arms and a knight in armour, and cherubs playing with cartography tools: a globe, compass, and pair of callipers.

This mid-17th century map features three long rivers flowing south through mainland Southeast Asia. Their source is a lake named ‘Chiamai Lacus’, which was one of a number of mythical lakes once thought to exist in southern China.