Banka [lower left corner with inset map: Prefecture de Banka et Billiton]

Article description

Original manuscript map in colors. This antique manuscript map shows the island of Banka (Bangka, Bangka-Belitung) in North Sulawesi / Indonesia with the neighboring island of Belitung, Pulau Lepar, the Macclesfield Strait and the Island Pilau Laita close to the southeastern coast of Sumatra. The Island of Bangka, which is located just off of the southeastern coast of Sumatra, had fallen in the 19th century under official European administration. It began with the Dutch, who annexed Bangka and Belitung in 1806. The region was occupied by the British in 1812 (during the Napoleonic Wars), but Bangka was returned to the Dutch in 1814, followed by Belitung in 1816, and the islands were absorbed into the Dutch East Indies. In the lower left corner is an inset map showing parts of Malaka, Sumatra, Java and Borneo and the isalands Banka, Billiton and the Riouw and Lingga Archipel. The inset map shows as well the straits of Malaka, Singapore is named on the map and also the Riau Archipelago (Riouw Arch.) and Lingga Archipelago. According to the style of the map and its paper we asume the manuscript was produced probably mid of the 19th century. The actual handdrawn map of the isaland of Bangka is a highly detailed map, probably all place names are given on the map, a scale of 1: 250,000 was used; Bangka island is divided up into its 10 districts. The individual districts are marked and named on the map, further larger and smaller streets or trails, churches and rivers with their names are detailed drawn on the map. Overall in very good condition. Minor frayed margins, one larger old (verso repaired tear) into the centre of the map.