The maps were transferred from both the Robbins Center and the Warren M. Robbins Library, National Museum of African Art.
Historic maps of Africa collection, EEPA 1991-001, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.
Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
The Historic Maps of Africa collection consists of 78 maps, dating from circa 1631 to 1973, with the bulk created in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The maps vary in size, ranging from the smallest at 7 x 7 (7/8) inches to the largest at 40 x 30 (5/8) inches.
Geographic content of individual maps varies from topographical information, boundaries of colonial territories, and ethnic groups, among other topics. While several depict the continent of Africa in its entirety, many focus on specific countries and geographic regions. There are a particularly large number of maps depicting the West African Coast.
The majority of the maps in the collection feature color illustrations. Titles and descriptions of the maps are in several languages (Dutch, English, French, German, and others), representing the different colonial powers in control at the time. Particular maps of interest include an 1830 colored map in English titled "Africa from the Best Authorities," which illustrates the entire African continent, various ethnic groups, and the inroads made by European colonial powers; and a 1656 topographic map in French depicting the west-central coast of Africa, specifically the mountains and rivers of the region.
Digital copies of the maps are available.
The collection is arranged in chronological order.
The collection was rehoused and photographed in 2010. Map dimensions are measured height x width.
Processed by Gabriella Bellegarde and Eden Orelove, December 2016
"A New Description of Africa -- 1631"
Citation: Appendix Theatri A. Ortelli et Atlantis G. Mercatoris
Ornamental illustrations throughout.
"Afrique"
Artist/Engraver: Pierre Marinette
Citation: Taken from N. Sanson
Topographical map.
"Carte de la Riviere de Kalbar, appellée communement kalabar ou Rio real avec les Côtes voisines"
Identification based on the remarks of several sailors.
"Africa"
Artist/Engraver: R. Morden
Citation: l'Academie Royale des Sciences
"L'Afrique"
Artist/Engraver: Pierre Schenk
Topographical map. Copied after original by Guillaume de L'Isle.
"Carte du Cours de La Riviere de Gambra ou Gambi"
Publisher: J.V. Schley Direx.
Artist/Engraver: Captian Jean Leach
"Carte du Cours de La Riviere de Gambra ou Gambi"
Artist/Engraver: Captain Jean Leach
Depicts area from Ethiopia to Barrakonda. Shows settlements and the course of Gambia River.
"L'Ethiopie Occidentale"
Artist/Engraver: D'Anville
"L'Ethiopie Occidentale"
Artist/Engraver: D'Anville
Depicts area from Cap de Lobo Gonzalez to Rio de Angra Fria.
"Carte de la coste D'Arabie Mer Rouge, et Golfe de Perse"
Artist/Engraver: J.V. Schley Direx.
"Carte de la Coste Orientale d'Afrique"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
Note: "Par ordre de Mgr. le comte de Maurepas."
"Carte des entrées de la Riviere de Scherbro ou Cerbera"
"Partie de las Coste de Guinée depuis la Riviere de Sierra Leona jusqu'au Cap de Palmas"
Artist/Engraver: N. Bellin
"Suite de la Coste de Guinée depuis le Cap de Palme jusqu'au Cap des Trois Pointes"
Artist/Engraver: N. Bellin
"Carte d'une Partie de la Coste d'Afrique depuis tanit jusqu'a la Riviere du Senegal"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
"Carte de la Coste et pays voisins des Rivieres de Sierra Leona et de Sherbro"
Artist/Engraver: Smith
"Cours de la Riviere de Senegal depuis le Desert jusqu'a l'Isle de Morfil avec le Lac du Panier Foule Tire de Labat"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
In French and Dutch
"Carte de l'Entrée de la Riviere de Sierra Leona quon appelle aussi Mitomba ou Tagrim"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
Depicts mountains and Guinea Coast.
"Carte du Golfe de Guinée"
Publisher: J.V. Schley Direx.
Artist/Engraver: N. Bellin
Depicts area from Cape Formose to Cape Lopes Gonsalvo.
"Partie de la Coste de Guinée depuis le Cap de Monte jusqu'au Cap des Basses"
Artist/Engraver: Barbot
"Carte de la Coste occidentale d'Afrique"
Depicts the Gulf of Guinea. Based on the observations of Barbot, Smith and Marchais.
Note: "Par Ordre de Mgr. le Comte de Maurepas"
"Carte Nouvelle D'Afrique"
Publisher: Moithey
Artist/Engraver: M. Phillipe
"Carte de la Guinée"
Artist/Engraver: M. Bonne
Depicts area from "Les Isles du Cap Verd, Le Senegal, La Côte de Guinée proprement dite, les Royaumes de Loango, Congo, Angola et Bengula."
Delineates boundaries of European territories.
"Africa and it's Several Regions"
Publisher: London, printed by Rob Sayer
Artist/Engraver: Samuel Dunn
Citation: No. 53
"Guinée entre Serre-Lione et le passage de la Ligne"
Artist/Engraver: D'Anville
Includes an inset of a map of Côte D'Or.
"A new and correct map of Negroland and Guinea"
Artist/Engraver: G. Rollos
Depicts the Guinea Coast.
"Carte de la Guinée"
Artist/Engraver: M. Bonne
Depicts: "The Cape Islands, Senegal, the coast of Guinea, and the Kingdoms of Loango, Congo, Angola, and Benguela. Additionally, there is an inset illustrated by D'Anville that depicts the Côte D'Or.
"Africa Antiqua"
Publisher: T. Stackhouse
Artist/Engraver: S.I. Neele
"Barbarie, Egypte, Nigritie, Guinée, Nubie, Abissinie"
Artist/Engraver: E. Dussy
Note: "Par Robert Vaugundy. Corigée par Lamarche son successeur An. III° de la Republique Française".
"Africa, and its Several Regions and Islands"
Publisher: Laurie and Whittle
Citation: No.53
"A Map of Zaara. Negroe-land. Guinea"
Artist/Engraver: C.H. Moll
Depicts the Guinea Coast. An inset shows the Isles of Cape Verde, delineating various kingdoms and peoples.
"Africa (From Arrowsmiths Map of Africa)"
Publisher: Cadel & Davis, Strand and Longman & Rees, Paternoster Row
Author: A. Arrowsmith
Depicts seven hills at Oliphants River at the Cape of Good Hope.
"A new map of Africa from Recent Authorities"
Artist/Engraver: W. Darton
"Nigritia, Guinea"
Publisher: S&G Neele Strand
Depicts the Guinea coast, specificaly from R. Cyprian to Biafra, ilustrating explorer routes.
"Africa"
Publisher: S&G Neele Strand
"Cours de la Riviere de Sanaga ou Senegal depuis son embouchre jusqu'a l'Isle de Bilbas levé par un Ingenieur François en 1817"; "Suite du cours de la Riviere de Senegal depuis l'Isles de Bilbas jusqu'au Sault du Rocher de Govina"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley, Labat
"Africa According to the Best Authorities"
Artist/Engraver: M. Carey
Delineates boundaries of European territories.
"Geographical and Historical Map of Africa"
Publisher: Young and Delleker
Artist/Engraver: J. Aspin
"Afbeelding van de ordinaire Cours der Pasaat-Winden, welke langs die Kusten van de Atlantische en Indie se Zeën regeeren"
Publisher: J.V. Schley
"Africa from the Best Authorities"
Artist/Engraver: J. Russell
"Mittel und Nord-Africa und Arabien"
Artist/Engraver: Steiler
Author: Gest V.E. Edler
Citation: From Stieler's Hand Atlas No. 45
Delineates boundaries of European territories.
"Africa"
Artist/Engraver: Thomas Illman
Gives names of some cities and tribes.
"Africa"
Publisher: H.S. Tanner
Artist/Engraver: H.S. Tanner
Citation: Tanner's Universal Atlas
Delineates boundaries of European territories.
"Afrique pour la Geographie"
Artist/Engraver: Meissas and Michelot
Author: Acier & Moisy
Citation: Libraire de l'Université Royale
Depicts principle cities, boundaries and lakes.
"Africa"
Publisher: Longamn, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green, Paternoster Row
Artist/Engraver: Sydney Hall
"Countries in the Northern Tropical regions of Africa"
Artist/Engraver: A. Peterman
Author: G.H. Swanston & Edinburgh
Citation: Royal Geographic Society of London
Two small maps depict Abyssinia and central Africa, including routes of explorers. Numerous ornamental illustrations border the map.
"Africa"
Publisher: A&C Black. Edinburgh
Artist/Engraver: J. Bartholomew
Created for
"Africa"
Publisher: J. Bartholomew
Artist/Engraver: J. Bartholomew
Includes a small inset of the Suez Canal.
"Map of Africa"
Publisher: Taintor Bros. & Merrill
Citation: No. LII (52)
Depicts major cities.
"Africa"
Artist/Engraver: S. Augustus Mitchell
Delineates boundaries of European territories and depicts railway routes. Includes a small inset illustrating lower Egypt.
"Afrika"
Artist/Engraver: A. Peterman
Citation: From Stieler's Hand Atlas
Delineates boundaries of European territories.
"Africa"
Publisher: A & C Black. Edinburgh
Artist/Engraver: J. Bartholomew
Publisher: Bradley & Bros.
Delineates boundaries of European territories and depicts railway routes. Contains an inset illustrating the island of St. Helena and lower Egypt.
Delineates boundaries of European territories.
"Map of Africa and adjoining portions of Europe and Asia"
Publisher: National Geographic Society
Artist/Engraver: Matthews-Northrup Works
Citation: From National Geographic Society. Editor: Gilbert Grosvener
Artist/Engraver: Keith Johnston
Topographical Map. Delineates boundaries of European territories and depicts railway routes and submarine telegaph lines.
"Tourist Map of Ghana"
Publisher: Ghana Tourist Control Board
"Africa Antiqua"
Publisher: Carey and Lea Phalad
Depicts North and Northwest Africa.
"A Map of Africa from the Best Authorities"
Publisher: Carey and Lea Phalad
"A Map of the Kingdoms of Kongo, Angola, & Benguela with the Adjacent Countries"
Artist/Engraver: D l'Isle & others
"Carte de la Coste d'Angola"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
"Carte de l'Afrique Françoise ou du Senegal. Dressée sur un grand nombre de Cartes manuscrites et d'Itineraires rectifiés par diverses observations"
Artist/Engraver: G. de l'Isle
Depicts the Sahel region.
"Carte de l'Entrée de la Riviere de Sanaga ou Senegal"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
"Carte du cours des Rivieres de Faleme et Sanaga"
Artist/Engraver: Compagnon
"Coste d'Afrique et les Isles Comprises entre le Cap Rouge et la Riviere de Nunho"
Citation: From Journal of Marine
"Cours de La Riviere de Senegal depuis son embouchure jusqu'au desert avec toutes les Branches et Isles quelle forme dans cet espace"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
"Isles du Cap Verd coste, et pays des Negres"
Artist/Engraver: N. Sanson d'Abbeville
"Map of Northeast Africa"
Publisher: John Bartholomew & Son LTD.
Includes contour coloring depicting roads and boundaries.
"Negroland and Guinea"
Artist/Engraver: H. Moll
Delineates boundaries of territories belonging to England, Holland and Denmark.
"Nigritarium Regio"
Artist/Engraver: Johnnes Blaeu
Depicts the Coast of Guinea.
"Africa"
Citation: Believed to be part of larger map.
Sea navigation map illustrating wind currents. Depicts Africa, part of America, India and China.
"Overland Route Map of Africa"
Illustrates routes from Mafeking to Angola, Belgian Congo, Tanganyika, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt.
"Plan de l'Isle de Gore avec ses Fortifications"
Publisher: Direx. J.V. Schley
"Royaume du Congo"
Artist/Engraver: N. Sanson d'Abbeville
Topographical map.
"Africa Secundum legitimas Projectionis Stereograticae regulas"
Publisher: Ioh. Matthia Hasio M.P.P.O.
"Suite de la Coste de Guinée depuis le Cap Apollonia jusqu'a la Riviere de Volta"
Publisher: J.V. Schley
"A new Map of Africa by the Latest Authorities"
Publisher: J. Carey Engraver & Map Seller
Artist/Engraver: John Carey
Citation: No. 86
"Afrique"
Publisher: Publiée sous Les Auspices de Monseigneur le Duc D'Orleans
Artist/Engraver: D'Anville
Note: "Le Logement du Prémier Géographe du Roi"