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This map highlights the colonisation of Southeast Asia, showing French Indochina (green), British Burma and Malaya (orange), the Dutch East Indies (pink), and the Spanish Philippines (green). In the region, only Siam (yellow) is independent.

Map of Southeast Asia highlighting European colonial possessions. Unusually, the south coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao is shown twice, reflecting uncertainty about its true location. Names of indigenous peoples are listed on Borneo.

This early 19th century map depicts the regions of Asia by colour. The continental regions are green, while the archipelago regions are red, except for New Guinea which is yellow.

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).

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.

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.

This map is from ‘Universus terrarum orbis scriptorum calamo delineatus’ by Alphonsus Lasor a Varea (pseudonym of Raffaello Savonarola (1680–1748), a monk who worked in the monastery library in Padua).

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.

A richly illustrated circular map of the world, surrounded by a ring of stars and sky, and spread over four sheets. The corners contain drawings of Atlas and Hercules holding the Earth on their shoulders, and of various philosophers and astronomers.

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.