Homann Heirs Africa Secundum legitimas projectionis This map  was produced in Nuremburg for the

This map  was produced in Nuremburg for the heirs of Johan Baptist (1664 – 1724) his son, Johann Christof (1703 – 1730); the Homann Heirs’ company continued to operate until 1824. The map was drawn by Johann Matthias Haas, a mathematician and cartographer, ‘according to the rules and in accordance with the law after the stereographic projection made recently to Africa’ – a similar approach was adopted for other maps – of Europe, for example.

This decorative map provides contemporary knowledge about the coastal regions of the African continent. Angra Penguena on the south-west coast is today’s Luderitz. Haas also incorporated information on inland regions derived from Guillaume Delisle and J d’Anville. He shows the origin of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia but ignores the White Nile. Lake Marawi is today’s Lake Malawi and its depiction preceded discovery by European. He also included the early settlements in the Congo; the about the equator is populated by Anthropophagi (man eaters). At the Cape of Good Hope, he shows the village of Stellenbosch and also ‘Castell Batavor’ – judging by the position of the latter, the name seems to be a corruption of Groot Constantia.

A most striking feature of the map is the decorative cartouche and vignette of a scene at the Cape of Good hope of Europeans and Africans interacting. The lions, a chameleon and tortoise imply a peaceful of cooperation and understanding rather than warfare. Table Bay Mountain in Cape Town are in the distance. With its incorporation of a descriptive text, the cartouche demonstrates how Europeans viewed Africa as an exotic land of both intrigue and potential.

The map is in very good condition.