Search

This mid-17th century map of the Philippines, Celebes (Sulawasi), Maluku Islands and New Guinea has some inaccuracies, particularly in the shape of Celebes and New Guinea. However, the many Philippine islands are portrayed relatively accurately.

A map of Asia decorated with illustrations of sea monsters, strange creatures and ships. There is Latin text on the back of the map describing Asia.

German text on the reverse of this map describes the populations, crops, trade etc. of Sumatra, Borneo, Philippines, and Banda Islands. There are drawings of sailing ships, and the map is dedicated to the Dutch merchant Christophoro Thisio.

This mid-17th century map of Southeast Asia is from Isaac Commelin’s book describing the voyages of the Dutch East India Company ‘Begin ende voortgangh…’. There is an inset map of the island of Botton (Buton Island, southeast of Celebes (Sulawesi)).

This map is illustrated with drawings of Asian people wearing traditional clothing, including representatives of Sumatra, Java and the Maluku Islands. There are also drawings of important ports such as Bantam (Banten) at the western end of Java.

As was common in this era, this map mistakenly shows the bottom of Peninsula Malaya as a separate island. The map also features illustrations of ships and a sea monster. Text on the reverse describes the people, crops, geography of the region.

This map is illustrated with drawings of Asian people wearing traditional clothing, including representatives of Sumatra, Java and the Maluku Islands. There are also drawings of important ports such as Bantam (Banten) at the western end of Java.

This 17th century map features a number of mythical lakes once thought to exist in southern China. One of these lakes (‘Chiamai Lac’) feeds three rivers—labelled ‘Menan’, ‘Manthabam’ and ‘Cosmin’—which flow south through mainland Southeast Asia.

This 17th century map features a number of mythical lakes once thought to exist in southern China. One of these lakes (‘Chiamai Lac’) feeds three rivers—labelled ‘Menan’, ‘Manthabam’ and ‘Cosmin’—which flow south through mainland Southeast Asia.

The outline of the island of New Guinea is very vague on this early 17th century map of Southeast Asia. The cartouche is decorated with two figures of Asian warriors: one holds a spear, the other a sword. There are also drawings of mermaids.

This map is illustrated with drawings of Asian people wearing traditional clothing, including representatives of Sumatra, Java and the Maluku Islands. There are also drawings of important ports such as Bantam (Banten) at the western end of Java.

Originally published in Gerardus Mercator's ‘Atlas Sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi et Fabricati Figura’ (1595), the title of which was the first use of the word ‘atlas’ to refer to a collection of maps. This is a 1630 reprint.