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A detailed late 17th century map of Asia, showing ancient kingdoms and the place names of important settlements. The cartouche features a drawing of Asian traders selling their goods, while a camel, monkey and two birds look on.

The cartouche on this map of Asia is decorated with a detailed depiction of a European man negotiating with an Asian merchant to buy an assortment of Asian goods, including jewellery, porcelain vessels and figurines, and textiles.

The cartouche on this late 17th century map of Asia features a colourful illustration of Asian traders negotiating a deal. In the background, their workers carry packages and tend to a camel.

The orientation of this map is unusual, with north to the right, so the west coast of Borneo is at the top. Its cartouche is decorated with drawings of seafaring people, and the scale with cherubs playing with cartography tools such as callipers.

A detailed late 17th century map of Asia, showing ancient kingdoms and the place names of important settlements. The cartouche features a drawing of Asian traders selling their goods, while a camel, monkey and two birds look on.

The seas on this early map of Asia are decorated with sailing ships and sea monsters. The cartouche features an illustration of two Asian men carrying bows and arrows.

The seas on this early map of Asia are decorated with sailing ships and sea monsters. The cartouche features an illustration of two Asian men carrying bows and arrows.

The cartouche on this mid-17th century map of Asia by the Dutch cartographer Frederik de Wit (c. 1629–1706) is decorated with drawings of Asian men dressed in traditional costume and carrying bows.

This map of Southeast Asia features a rhumbline network, a web of lines used to aid navigation. Coastal areas are detailed while interiors are mainly blank, and there are illustrations of sailing ships, reinforcing the maritime focus of this map.

This map of Southeast Asia features a rhumbline network, a web of lines used to aid navigation. Coastal areas are detailed while interiors are mainly blank, and there are illustrations of sailing ships, reinforcing the maritime focus of this map.

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.