A New Map of Great Tartary and China with the adjoining parts of Asia

Fascinating early 18th century map of Asia east of the Black Sea.

Though the geographic outlines may not be immediately apparent to a modern observer, this map covers much of continental Asia northeast of the Persian Gulf to Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The wide area was largely unknown to Europeans during much of the 18th century, and the image reflects much speculation and hearsay. An oddly shaped Japan, an eastern land bridge to North America, and incomplete coastlines are just a few of the inaccuracies depicted.

Numerous annotations in English provide interesting contextual details, such as locations of “hordes of Mongol Tartars” and the Great Lama, while the “Chinese Wall” can be seen outside Pekin (Beijing). Two inset maps show areas to the northeast, outside the image, according to Jesuit scholars.

The map was issued by Edward Wells in A new sett of maps both of antient and present geography. This atlas contained 41 double page maps, most of which were issued in two forms to compare the ancient and present geography of various regions across the globe. The atlas was dedicated to William, Duke of Gloucester, a former pupil of Well’s at Oxford who died in 1700 at the age of eleven.