Southern India

A finely rendered manuscript map of Southern India, after Johann Lucas Niekamp, a German Lutheran missionary who was based in Tranquebar.

This map is a magnificent and very rare survivor, being the western half of an original manuscript map of Southern India that is either the original antecedent or, more likely, a contemporary manuscript copy of a printed map devised by the German missionary Johann Lucas Niekamp, entitled Special-Carte von der halb-insel Indiens dieserts dem Ganges (1740). For some years, Niekamp was a member of the Danish-Halle mission in Tanquebar and he clearly went to great efforts to find the most advanced geographical sources for his map, which is perhaps the most accurate and detailed of the region produced during its time.

The coastlines are labeled ‘Westliche Kust’, (Western Coast), ‘Malabar’ (Malabar Coast), ‘Perlen Fischer Kust’ (Pearl Fishers’ Coast), and ‘Tondyscher MeerBusen’ (Gulf of Tondy). The Western and Malabar coasts feature ‘Goa’, ‘Bassalore’ (Basrur), ‘Canonaor’ (Kannur), ‘Calicut’ (Khozikode), ‘Cranganor’ (Kodungallur), and ‘Codschin’ (Kochi).

Key places labeled on the Coromandel Coast include ‘Nagapatnam’ (Negapatnam), ‘Trankebar’ (Tranquebar), ‘Pondicherry’ (Puducherry) and ‘Fort St. David’ (near Cuddalore).

The treatment of the interior regions of Southern India is quite impressive for the period, as many important locations are correctly placed, including ‘Tanschaur’ (Thanjavur), ‘Madure’ (Madurai), ‘Tricharapali’ (Tiruchirapalli), ‘Sirangapatnam’ (Srirangapatna) and ‘Golconda oder Bagnagar’ (Hyderabad).