Human world
Hand-coloured map of China by Richard Blome, dedicated to Sir Thomas Peyton Holland, 1669
Accession Number 1991.121.143 Asia traded in silk, cotton, spices and porcelain.
Maps can never accurately represent the earth's surface. They can, however tell us about the ideas and beliefs of the people who made them.
Richard Blome, a cartographer from Amsterdam, made this early map of China in the 17th century.
Before the 15th century, European maps were made for people who travelled overland to the Orient. Maps changed in the late 15th century when explorers such as Vasco da Gama sailed from Europe to find routes to Asia.
Some 16th century European cartographers (mapmakers) confused China with India. Their maps reflected European perspectives of the world.