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This detailed map of the Dutch East Indies in the mid-19th century contains a great deal of information: topographical details, settlements and administrative areas, roads, railways and maritime routes, telegraph lines, inset maps etc.

A late 18th century map of Asia published in London by John Bowles, with regions indicated by colour. Central Borneo is labelled ‘Part inhabited by the Biayos’, which is seen on many contemporary maps, often with the comment ‘a savage people’.

Map of mainland Southeast Asia divided into kingdoms. Larger settlements are marked pictorially with a red building symbol. The desert of Cochinchine (Vietnam) is labelled as being inhabited by the ‘Kemoys Peuples Barbares [Kemoys Barbarian People]’.

Map of mainland Southeast Asia divided into kingdoms. Larger settlements are marked pictorially with a red building symbol. The desert of Cochinchine (Vietnam) is labelled as being inhabited by the ‘Kemoys Peuples Barbares [Kemoys Barbarian People]’.

On this map of Asia, Borneo is labelled ‘The Inland Part of this Island is inhabited by the Biayos a savage People’, a description seen on many contemporary maps. The ancient kingdoms of mainland Southeast Asia are also shown.

On this map of Asia, Borneo is labelled ‘The Inland Part of this Island is inhabited by the Biayos a savage People’, a description seen on many contemporary maps. The ancient kingdoms of mainland Southeast Asia are also shown.

This map uses colour to identify regions in late 18th century Southeast Asia, many of which roughly correspond to modern countries: Pegu=Myanmar, Tonkin/Cochin China=Vietnam, Lao =Laos, Siam=Thailand, Malaya=Malaysia, Philippin Islands=Philippines.

Map of the Gulf of Siam (Gulf of Thailand) with shoals and small islands marked. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, while the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), both used to aid navigation. There is an inset map of the Redang Archipelago.

Map of the Gulf of Siam (Gulf of Thailand) with shoals and small islands marked. The web of lines is a rhumbline network, while the numbers indicate sea depth (bathymetry), both used to aid navigation. There is an inset map of the Redang Archipelago.

Some regions on this map of Southeast have a descriptive label: New Guinea is described as unknown to Europeans; Borneo was abandoned by Europeans due to the ‘unmanageability’ of the inhabitants; the Philippines were discovered by Spain in 1565.

Some regions on this map of Southeast have a descriptive label: New Guinea is described as unknown to Europeans; Borneo was abandoned by Europeans due to the ‘unmanageability’ of the inhabitants; the Philippines were discovered by Spain in 1565.

Map of the eastern coast of mainland Southeast Asia (modern Vietnam and part of Cambodia), divided into Tsiampa and Kochinchine (yellow) and Tunquin (green). The shoals and reefs of the Paracel Islands are marked. The text is in French and Dutch.