New Guinea

The island of New Guinea, is today divided into two parts: Irian Jaya (part of Indonesia) in the west and Papua New Guinea in the east. The northern coast of New Guinea was known to western mapmakers in the 16th century, but many maps into the 1700s show it as being part of the Australian continent.

Langenes, 1598

This is the first (somewhat) accurate map of New Guinea.

Bertius, 1618

Very similar to the Langenes map, this one proposes a southern coast for New Guinea.

Mallet, 1683

The northern coast of New Guinea is now better defined than in the earlier maps, and this map includes part of "Carpentarie", the Carpentaria Bay of modern Australia.

Moll, 1740

Sea chart of northern and western New Guinea.

Bowen, 1744

A detailed sea chart of northern New Guinea, still all that is known at this time.

Tirion, 1753

A detailed chart of the northwest coast of the island of New Guinea (Irian Jaya today), including the islands of Salawati and Misool.

Vaugondy, 1774

Very detailed map of the explored portions of New Guinea (north and west coasts), while the southern portion remains unmapped.