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This mid-19th century map of Southeast Asia is illustrated with drawings of indigenous people from New Guinea, a ‘bee bear’ (probably a sun bear), a sailboat in front of Victoria Mount in New Guinea, and a village and palm trees in Sarawak, Borneo.

Southeast Asia is featured on the last of the four sheets of this map of Asia. The South China Sea is particularly detailed, with islands, rocks, shoals and reefs named, sometimes dated, and even marked with the name of the ship that mapped them.

On this mid-19th century map of Asia, national and regional borders are colour-coded, including colonial possessions such at the British Straits Settlements. Coastal cities, islands, shoals and reefs are marked in detail.

On this map of Asia, the South China Sea is labelled ‘Malayan Sea’. Small islands, shoals and reefs are shown. A label in Cochin China (Vietnam) reads ‘mountains inhabited by the uncivilized people called Kemoys’.

On this map of Asia, the South China Sea is labelled ‘Malayan Sea’. Small islands, shoals and reefs are shown. A label in Cochin China (Vietnam) reads ‘mountains inhabited by the uncivilized people called Kemoys’.

Southeast Asia is on the last sheet of this map of Asia. The South China Sea is labelled ‘Malayan Sea’. Small islands, shoals and reefs are shown. A label in Cochin China (Vietnam) reads ‘mountains inhabited by the uncivilized people called Kemoys’.

Map of Asia, with mainland Southeast Asia in red and divided into ancient kingdoms, Sunda Islands in yellow, and the Philippines in grey. Twelve different scales are shown, as different countries used different measurement systems.

Map of Asia, with mainland Southeast Asia in red and divided into ancient kingdoms, Sunda Islands in yellow, and the Philippines in grey. Twelve different scales are shown, as different countries used different measurement systems.

A late 18th century maritime map of Southeast Asia, marked with expedition routes including the return of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour from Australia in 1770, and Captain Philip Carteret’s circumnavigation expedition in 1768.

A simple hand-coloured map of Asia, with a cartouche of shell, leaves and plants. It shows that in the late 18th century, the details of New Guinea and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) were uncertain.

A simple hand-coloured map of Asia, with a cartouche of shell, leaves and plants. It shows that in the late 18th century, the details of New Guinea and Australia (‘Nieuw Holland’) were uncertain.

The arrows on this map mark the direction of the seasonal monsoons experienced in the South China Sea and Philippine Sea during the late 18th century. Each arrow has a label indicating the month.