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Simple mid-18th century French-language map of Asia, with Southeast Asia divided into four regions: the mainland in yellow, the Philippines in green, the Sunda Islands in red, and the Maluku Islands in yellow.

This colourful mid-18th century map of the Sunda Isles (‘Isles de la Sonde’) includes the Malay Peninsula in addition to Sumatra, Java and Borneo. Mountain ranges and jungles are shown pictorially, and the islands and coasts feature shoals and reefs.

The title of this mid-18th century map translates as ‘Asia following the latest observations of the Muscovites/Russians’. Written notes in French list the regions, islands, empires, kingdoms, colonial possessions, religions and languages of Asia.

Map of part of Southeast Asia, featuring a maritime route from the Sunda Strait to the ports of Bantam (Banten) and Batavia (Jakarta) on Java, and then up through the Gulf of Thailand to the Kingdom of Siam. The return route is also marked.

Map of part of Southeast Asia, featuring a maritime route from the Sunda Strait to the ports of Bantam (Banten) and Batavia (Jakarta) on Java, and then up through the Gulf of Thailand to the Kingdom of Siam. The return route is also marked.

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.

This late 17th century map of the western Sunda Islands—Sumatra, Java and Borneo—is decorated with a colourful cartouche probably featuring the Greek god Poseidon and his wife Amphitrite. Cherubs play trumpets and ride on sea monsters.

From Robert Morden’s ‘Geography Rectified’, a description with maps of the known world in the late 17th century. Text describes the peoples of the uplands of the Sunda Islands as ‘Pagans’, while the coastal peoples are ‘Mahumetans [Muslims]’.