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On this beautifully illustrated and detailed map of Java, mountains, trees, fields of crops and settlements are shown pictorially. The coasts are marked with shoals, reefs, bathymetry (sea depth, in figures) and anchor points.

This early 18th century maritime map charts the waters between the islands of Java, Madura and Bally (Bali). The web of lines is a rhumbline network, while the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), both used to aid navigation.

Java is shown as two separate islands on this map, with the western island named Sunda. The southern coast is labelled as ‘unknown’. A colourful cartouche is decorated with a painting of indigenous Javanese people meeting and trading with Europeans.

Hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart, featuring a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, and names of coastal settlements, all to aid navigation. With a colourful compass rose.

Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula feature on this map of the Indian Ocean. Enganno Island, west of southern Sumatra, has a label that translates as ‘inhabited by very pernicious savages’. An inset map depicts the Madura Strait between Java and Madura.

A map of the Java Sea between Java, Sumatra and Borneo. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, used to aid navigation. The cartouche and scale are decorated with paintings of Asian people and mythical creatures including cherubs.

Colourful hand-drawn portolan (nautical) navigation chart, featuring bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, and anchor points. The coasts have pictorial representations of landmarks (trees, houses, mountains). Orientated with south at the top.

Hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart, featuring a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, elevations (side views of landmark mountains), and names of coastal settlements, all to aid navigation.

A map of the Java Sea between Java, Sumatra and Borneo. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, used to aid navigation. The cartouche and scale are decorated with paintings of Asian people and mythical creatures including cherubs.

A map of the Java Sea between Java, Sumatra and Borneo. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, used to aid navigation. The cartouche and scale are decorated with paintings of Asian people and mythical creatures including cherubs.

Two pages from ‘Rerum et urbis Amstelodamensium historia’ by Johannes Pontanus, featuring a drawing of the attack on Madura by the ships of the Dutch merchant seaman Cornelis de Houtman, in revenge for an unrelated pirate attack.