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Scarce map of central Africa, illustrating the region to the south of Lake Chad, focusing on the explorations of Gerhard Rohlfs.
The map identifies the routes of a number of explorers, including:
- Gerhard Rohlfs -- 1866
- Major Denham -- 1824
- Dr. M. Barth -- 1851-1854
- Dr. Overweg 1852
The map translates as "Special map of the countries in the South Of Lake Chad, illustrated the travels of C. Rohlfs 1866 and other European travelers in this area."
August Heinrich Petermann (1822-1878) is a renowned German cartographer of the nineteenth century. Petermann studied cartography at the Geographical Art-School in Potsdam before traveling to Edinburgh to work with Dr. A. Keith Johnston on an English edition of Berghaus’ Physical Atlas. Two years later he moved to London, where he made maps and advised exploratory expeditions as they set off to explore the interior of Africa and the Arctic.
In 1854, Petermann returned to Germany to be Director of the Geographical Institute of Justus Perthes in Gotha. There, he was the editor of the Geographische Mittheilungen and Stieler’s Handatlas. The Royal Geographical Society of London awarded him their Gold Medal in 1860. He continued his interest in exploration in Germany, fundraising for the German Exploring Expeditions of 1868 and 1869-70, which sought an open Arctic sea. Tragically, he committed suicide in 1878.
