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 This early 18th-century map of Barbados was created by the prominent cartographer Herman Moll.

Oriented with east at the top, Moll depicts the island divided into eleven parishes, accompanied by a list of acreage for each. The map provides a comprehensive depiction of the island’s geography, infrastructure, and plantation economy during the height of Barbados’s colonial prosperity.   Barbados was among the most significant British possessions in the Caribbean during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, known for its lucrative sugar plantations that relied on enslaved labor. The accompanying text emphasizes the island’s prosperity, noting that it had “10,000 houses” and a population that, at its peak, was “more populous than England” in proportion to its size. The island's division into parishes—such as Christ Church, St. Philip, and St. Michael—reflects the administrative organization established under British colonial governance. 

Moll’s map is distinguished by its detailed rendering of parishes and landmarks. Roads and paths traverse the island, connecting major towns, churches, and fortifications, which are indicated by standardized symbols detailed in the map’s key. The map also marks plantations of particular note, many of which are associated with prominent families and large-scale sugar production. The symbols for windmills are especially prominent, representing the central role of sugar mills in the island’s economy. Additional symbols indicate sugar works with one, two, or three mills, reflecting the varying sizes and importance of different estates. 

The table of parishes on the map lists the total acreage for each, providing insight into the size and relative importance of these divisions.

• Christ Church: 14,310 acres
• St. Philip: 15,040 acres
• St. Michael: 9,580 acres
• St. George: 10,795 acres
• St. John: 8,600 acres
• St. James: 7,800 acres
• St. Thomas: 8,510 acres
• St. Joseph: 6,500 acres
• St. Andrew: 8,780 acres
• St. Peter: 8,725 acres
• St. Lucy: 8,725 acres

The combined total of 106,470 acres reflects the island's geographical extent and organization.

 In addition to its internal details, the map highlights important coastal features such as bays, promontories, and reefs. The inclusion of a decorative compass rose suggests an emphasis on maritime navigation, critical for trade and defense in the region. Notable features like Scotland Bay and Congo Rock are labeled along the coastline, serving as reference points for mariners.