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A brightly-coloured hand-drawn map of the South China Sea. The compass is at the centre of a rhumbline network, a web of lines to aid navigation. Bathymetry (sea depth), islands, anchor points, shoals and reefs are also marked.

A brightly-coloured hand-drawn map of the Gulf of Siam, made for a ship’s captain. The elaborate compass roses are the centre of a rhumbline network, a web of lines to aid navigation. Bathymetry (sea depth), islands, shoals and reefs are also marked.

This colourful hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart was designed to aid navigation. It features a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, anchor points and written notes.

Colourful hand-drawn portolan (nautical) navigation chart, featuring bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, and anchor points. The coasts have pictorial representations of landmarks (trees, houses, mountains). Orientated with south at the top.

Hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart, featuring a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, elevations (side views of landmark mountains), and names of coastal settlements, all to aid navigation.

Hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart, featuring a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, and names of coastal settlements, all to aid navigation. With a colourful compass rose.

Hand-drawn portolan (nautical) chart, featuring a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), shoals and reefs, names of coastal settlements, and an elevation (side view) of a mountain at the north tip of Borneo.

A map of the bay of the port city of Batavia (Jakarta). To aid navigation, a rhumbline network (the web of interconnected lines), bathymetry (sea depth), and small islands, shoals and reefs are marked. An inset map shows the city in more detail.

Chart of the Sunda Strait, focusing on bays and islands, and showing bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points, shoals and reefs, landmarks, and a rhumbline network, all to aid navigation. Includes an inset map of the bay of the city of Banten on Java.

Two maps. One features most of the world, but with Borneo, Philippines and most of mainland Southeast Asia missing, though there is an inset map of Penang. The other is a navigation map of the strait at Penang, with bathymetry and elevations.

A map to aid navigation around the Touranne Bay (Bay of Turon, location of modern city of Da Nang, Vietnam). The web of lines is a rhumbline network, and bathymetry (sea depth), anchor points and two elevation views of the coasts are shown.

Nautical charts, like this late 18th century example of the north-west coast of Borneo, were designed to help ships navigate. The numbers marked along the coastline and sea routes indicate the depth of the sea (bathymetry).