Three Early 17th-century Maps by Manuel Godinho de Erédia

What is it about?

Historians working on Singapore and the Malay Peninsula during the early modern period have often relied on the works of the Eurasian writer and cartographer Manuel Godinho de Erédia (1563–1623). While some of his works have drawn attention, such as his Description of Melaka (c.1613), one of the lesserknown cartographic works ascribed to him, the Atlas Miscelânea (Miscellany Atlas, 1616–22), still requires closer and authoritative study. At the dawn of the seventeenth century, the escalation of Portuguese expeditionary activities in and around the region led to the uncovering and creation of new knowledge. The Miscellany Atlas contains three maps of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra that offer a glimpse into a local trading world that was interconnected by riverine systems and overland trails. With the help of different analytical frameworks employed for understanding Malay polities of the pre-modern era, this paper carefully peels back the layers of information that have been sketched out and visually represented in these maps.

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Why is it important?

The article shows just how economically vibrant the local economy was before imperialism

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