English map of Asia, Early 1626 Map

Asia with the Islands Adioyning described, the atire of the people & Townes of importance...

This beautiful carte-a-figures map is the first English printed map of Asia. It is flanked by costumed figures of Asian peoples with a series of eight city views forming a decorative frieze across the top, including Damascus, Jerusalem, Aden, Hormus, Goa, Kandy, Banten and Macau. Published in London in the year 1676 by the famous John Speed, this unique map is largely based on Jodocus Hondius’ map of Asia published 50 years earlier in Amsterdam.

Korea is shown as a slender oddly projected Peninsula. The Great Wall of China is shown , along with and Elephant above the source of the Ganges. A nice simple/naïve Northeast passage along with a piece of North America and sea monsters in the extreme North Pacific and Southern Indian Sea. The text on the verso presents a fascinating Anglocentric view of Asia in the early 17th Century.