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This early German map of Asia is colour-coded by region, and features a brief description of Asia in blackletter German text. Interestingly, the Southeast Asian island of Sumatra is labelled 'Taprobana' which is the name the Greeks called Sri Lanka.

Three sheets of a late 17th century map of Asia, with Southeast Asia on the third sheet. The oceans are decorated with drawings of sailing ships, and there is a detailed scene of Asian merchants, including a chained and kneeling slave and a camel.

On this map of Asia, borders are outlined and cities underlined in different colours to show the colonial territories of the European powers: e.g. at this time, Benkulen (Bencoolen) on the west coast of Sumatra is British, and Malacca is Dutch.

On this map of Asia, borders are outlined and cities underlined in different colours to show the colonial territories of the European powers: e.g. at this time, Benkulen (Bencoolen) on the west coast of Sumatra is British, and Malacca is Dutch.

This map of Asia, from an atlas by the German cartographer Karl von Spruner, is colour-coded to show the possessions of the Indian Maratha Empire, and of the European colonial powers at the end of the 18th century.

An early 19th century map of Asia by the English cartographer John Cary (c.1754–1835) with colour-coded regions.

On this map of Asia, India and mainland Southeast Asia are labelled together as ‘Ost Indien [East Indies]’. In maritime Southeast Asia, the Sunda Islands are coloured yellow, the Maluku Islands and New Guinea are blue, and the Philippines are red.

On this map of Asia, India and mainland Southeast Asia are labelled together as ‘Ost Indien [East Indies]’. In maritime Southeast Asia, the Sunda Islands are coloured yellow, the Maluku Islands and New Guinea are blue, and the Philippines are red.

This map of Asia is from the earliest version of ‘Stielers Handatlas’ by the German cartographers Adolf Stieler and Christian Gottlieb Reichard. The maps were initially published separately; later editions compiled them into book form.

This map of Asia is from the earliest version of ‘Stielers Handatlas’ by the German cartographers Adolf Stieler and Christian Gottlieb Reichard. The maps were initially published separately; later editions compiled them into book form.

Map of Southeast Asia highlighting European colonial possessions. Unusually, the south coast of the Philippine island of Mindanao is shown twice, reflecting uncertainty about its true location. Names of indigenous peoples are listed on Borneo.

On this map of Asia, borders are outlined and cities underlined in different colours to show the colonial territories of the European powers: Russian, British, Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Danish.