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This mid-18th century map of Asia features a drawing of religious imagery: Asian people are seen making offerings to two figures, including the Greek god Poseidon (or the Roman god Neptune), and kneeling as cherubs descend from the sky.

This map's cartouche features an illustration of three men bowing before a ruler on a throne. There is also what was probably meant to be a lion, though the poor likeness suggests it was based on written descriptions rather than real life experience.

This colourful early 18th century map shows Asia along with part of Europe and Africa. It is decorated with a painting of Asian traders negotiating over a sale of carpets, while three lions, a ship and city walls complete the picture.

This map's cartouche features an illustration of three men bowing before an enthroned ruler. A second image is of a procession where a horned four-armed humanoid creature is being carried on poles by two bearers, while musicians follow behind.

The cartouche on this early 18th century navigation map features the title in Latin and Dutch, as well as a wealth of detailed drawings illustrating the region’s trade: Asian merchants, their goods and animals, and two female European customers.

This map is from ‘Universus terrarum orbis scriptorum calamo delineatus’ by Alphonsus Lasor a Varea (pseudonym of Raffaello Savonarola (1680–1748), a monk who worked in the monastery library in Padua).

The illustration on this map highlights the wealth of the Asian trade routes, with merchants wearing colourful and elaborate robes presenting valuable treasures to a royal figure. A monkey, tortoise and camel emphasise the 'exoticism' of Asia.

An early 18th century map of the Indian Ocean, illustrated with a drawing of Asian merchants riding an elephant and using a camel to transport their goods. Other men use bows and arrows to hunt ostriches. Ships are also shown sailing on the ocean.

This map of India and Southeast Asia—or ‘Indiae Orientalis [East Indies]’ as it was called at the time—was published in a book documenting the travels of the German scholar and geographer Adam Olearius (1599–1671).

The Latin title of this map translates as ‘Map of Today's Asia’, and reflects the knowledge of the region in the very early 18th century. Although lacking detail in Southeast Asia, the map does show the major islands and some cities.

The cartouche on this map of Asia is decorated with a colourful painting illustrating the region’s commerce, with Asian merchants displaying an assortment of goods, including jewellery, porcelain vessels and figurines, textiles and exotic animals.

The cartouche on this map of Asia is decorated with a colourful depiction of a European man negotiating with an Asian merchant to buy an assortment of Asian goods, including jewellery, porcelain vessels and figurines, and textiles.