[Gujarat, India]

A cartographic analysis of a robbery in India!

This hand-drawn map was likely created as part of an apparent 19th-century robbery that took place in a town along the River Bhadar, in the west Indian state of Gujarat. A surveyor’s signature in the lower right indicates it was created by a person of authority, possibly as part of a court case or for trial evidence.

Several streets are outlined and labeled with a sometimes illegible hand. Each color and several locations of note are explained according to the key in the center-left. Entries include ‘The place where the accused was caught’, “the shop of the complainant”, and, amusingly, “the house of Carpenter Chaku and the place where he was making water.” Several annotations can also be read within the image.

Decorative elements include a Hindu temple along the banks of the river and an elaborate city gate near the bottom of the page. An interesting relic from the judiciary of British India.