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To aid navigation, this map shows small islands, shoals and reefs, maritime routes for use during monsoons or at particular times of the year, bathymetry (sea depth), tide information, shipwrecks, compass roses and landmark mountains at the coasts.

A world map, including Southeast Asia, showing rainfall information (darker shading indicates greater rainfall). Southeast Asia lies in the ‘Zone of the Periodical Rains’, and is marked with monsoons and ‘Electrical Explosions’.

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.

A simple mid-18th century map featuring Borneo, Java, Celebes (Sulawasi) and many other smaller islands as far as New Guinea to the east, and Timor to the south. The only details are the names of the islands and some larger settlements.

This map showcases the colonial territories of Southeast Asia in the 18th century, with text detailing trading information and the products of each region. There are five inset maps featuring plans of specific trading ports.

From Robert Morden’s ‘Geography Rectified’, a description with maps of the known world in the late 17th century. The map shows the Moluccas, but the text describes the Philippines: Spanish colonial rule, trade, the city of Manila and port of Cavite.

An early European map of Asia by the Flemish cartographer Hendrik Hondius (1573–c. 1650).

Unusually, north is located to the left of this map of East Asia, rather than the top. The text notes that shallows and reefs are marked, and that the map is based on the explorations of Portuguese ships. Illustrations include sea monsters and ships.