A Map of Asia With Its Principal Divisions [nd] c.1755

Map Details:
hand colored engraving
Condition: professionally conserved, good condition, original hand colored outlines
Dimensions: 21 1/2" x 19 1/2"

Description:
This edition of A Map of Asia With Its Principal Divisions by J. Palaret, with several Additions & Improvements by L. Delarochette is not dated explicitly but may be dated in part by reliance on the dated historic voyages of exploration shown on the finely engraved, hand colored map. We learn by reading the map that in 1747 "About 7 leagues North East of Cape de Espiritu Santo 1 July 1747 Admiral Anson took the Acapulco Ship Value 350,000 Pounds." That is the most recent dated event. The map notes an earlier event "Land Seen by Mr. Tchrikoiv nearing Berring Island where he was cast away and died" in 1741. Exploration of the Frozen Ocean in 1648 by the Russian Ships that predates the English Arctic explorations is noted. The map is definitively dated by reference to the atlas c. 1755 in which it appears. Please see below.
The purpose of the map is to illustrate to Western European readers what these distant Asian lands look like with respect to terrain known and unknown, especially seas, mountains and deserts. Political subdivisions are indicated and larger scale subdivisions indicated with color. A small but meaningful lens for reading the map is a chart that appears at the bottom of the map and lists the territories claimed by England in large part, by the Dutch and Spain, with a few by France. The map is annotated with historic and cultural commentary.
The inset chart titled "Methodical Divisions of Asia" treats the Continent separately from the Islands. The Continent "contains 8 parts" in this order: 1st Russia in Asia composed of Russian Tartary and Siberia; 2d Independent Tartary consisting of Kara or Black Kalpack , Turkestan Usbec and Kingdom of the Eluts - Great Tibet, the State of the Dalai Lama, "of which is a remainder of the Empire of Zingis Kan." The subsequent parts include Chinese Tartary, Turkey in Asia, Arabia, Persia, India, and as the 8th China. Perhaps it is fair to say that in 2023 the political realities in Asia and Europe draw sustenance from the historic cultural and political roots of the "8 Parts" shown on this map.
The Islands of Asia are "methodically" divided into the Isles in the Sea of Kamszatka, the Isles of Japan, Is. of Lekeyo, Is. of taypin, Formosa and Haynan Subject to China; Is. Ladrones to the Spaniards, Philippine to the Spaniards, Palaos or Caroline Is. to the Spaniards; Molucka variously independent, to the Dutch , and independent islands of Sonda, Niobar, Andanman, Maldivas, Lakdivas and Ceylon. The Chart includes Asian islands in the Mediterranean: Cyprus, Rhodes "& a part of the Archipelago." as the Mediterranean coast touches multiple continents. Finally, the Chart identifies "European Possessions on the Continent of Asia." naming the English, Dutch and French. With respect to the English those include Bombay in the Kingdom of Visapour, Condelour St. David, Madras on the Cormandel Coast. Calcutta, Chandernagor in the Kingdom of Bengal. The Dutch claims pertain to Barcedlor, Cranganor, Cochin, Culan on the Malabar Coast and Negapalam Paliacate on the Cormandel Coast. The French claim Pondichery.
Arabia as shown on Asia, with Its Principal Divisions has detailed geography and internal border lines, with annotations. For example Medina is shown with the note "At this well the Pilgrims Strip themselves." and adjacent to this text the notation "The Territories of Mekka and Medina Compose the State of Mekka whose King or Sherif is a descendant of Mahomet." The area now consisting of Israel and its neighboring countries is labeled on the map as The Levant.
Please see the curatorial notes by David Rumsey for this map and the atlas to which it belongs which was published with maps in English and in French. 2/

Note:
1. This version of the map is catalogued in the collection of the Library of Congress and the National Records of Scotland as RHP 9782, Sighthill. Palaret is Jean Palairet (1697-1774)
2. Rumsey estimates this atlas map date to 1755. The atlas publisher is Jean Palairet and L. Delarochette. The atlas title page dates it as published 1755 in London by J. Nourse & P. Vaillant, P.Gosse in La Haye and J. Neaulme in Amsterdam and Berlin. The Rumsey atlas edition has some variations in the dates of its maps.