Sumatra - Norie c.1833

Sumatra - Norie c.1833Title: A Chart of the West Coast of Sumatra and Isles Adjacent Cartographer: John William Norie Origin: London, United Kingdom Date: Published January 1833 Technique: Large format copperplate engraving Navigating the Spice and Pepper Coast In 1833, the west coast of Sumatra was a high value but dangerous frontier for European trade. This chart tells the story of the perilous "Pepper Coast," where American and European ships vied for control of the

Naval Activity: The foreground is dominated by several Dutch East Indiamen (merchant ships) in the harbor

John Bartholomew’s Precision: The map was produced by the world-renowned Edinburgh firm of John Bartholomew & Co

designed this map to reconcile the ancient world of the Roman historians with the burgeoning geographic knowledge of his own time

the map shows a partial coastline of "Hollandia Nova" (New Holland/Australia)

Ecclesiastical History: The map meticulously labels various churches across the island

the premier hydrographer to the King of France

and the island of Banca (Bangka)

This highly detailed 17th-century map by Nicolaes Jansz Visscher depicts the strategic duchies of Jülich

Isole dell’Indie divise in Filippine

" This was the definitive boundary of the known world for 17th-century explorers

providing Western audiences with their first scientific "pictures of types" from the interior of Indochina

situated away from the humid bustle of the commercial waterfront