|
||
|
|
|
|
This 1818 engraved map presents a German-language depiction of Australia and its surrounding regions at a moment of ongoing geographic and colonial discovery. Centered on the lands of Neu Holland (Australia), the chart extends from the eastern Indian Ocean to the western Pacific, encompassing Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Polynesia, Micronesia, and New Zealand.
The continent of Australia is labeled Neu Holland, a term still in circulation at the time despite the increasing British usage of "Australia" following Matthew Flinders’ 1814 publication. Coastlines are generally well defined, but the interior remains completely blank—an indication of how little was known of inland geography. Tasmania appears detaiched to the mainland, in the decadeafter Matthew Flinders' circumnavigation of the island.
To the east, New Zealand is shown with both North and South Islands, labeled as Neu Seeland, though the coasts are imprecisely rendered, reflecting limited European exploration of the interior. New Guinea is partly demarcated but poorly defined in its southeastern extremities. The Philippine Archipelago is rendered in detail and labeled Caroline oder neue Philippinen further to the east—a notable anachronism conflating Micronesian islands with Philippine geography. voyages by Cook and others.
![(World) Benedict Arias Montanus Sacrae Geographiae Tabulam ex Antiquissimorum Cultor. [Pre-Dutch Discovery Depiction of Australia]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/90909.jpg)
![[ Western Australia ] Carte de la Terre D'Edels et d'une partie De Celle D'Endracht (a la Nouvelle Hollande) Dressee Par M. L. Freycinet, Commandans la Goelette le Casuarina. (1801 & 1803) (Rare Separately Published Example)](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/53267.jpg)
![[ Queensland / Papua New Guinea ] Nouvelle Guinee et Carpentarie](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/98045.jpg)