Arabia – 1856

This map of the Arabian Peninsula appeared in the 1856 edition of the world atlas that was first published by James Wyld (1790-1836) in 1824 and in successive editions by his son, James Wyld the younger (1812-87). Political divisions are indicated by colored lines and the scale is in English miles. Cities, towns, wells, and caravan routes to Mecca are shown.

An annotation on the map reflects the limited state of European knowledge about geography of parts of the peninsula: “The interior of Arabia is probably a high plain inclining towards the Persian Gulf; a great proportion of it is occupied by extensive Deserts, occasionally seperated [sic] by small mountainous Oases.”

After studying at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, James Wyld the younger joined his father’s mapmaking and publishing firm, which he eventually inherited. Wyld published numerous maps, many of which were intended to satisfy public interest in current events, such as the First Anglo-Afghan War, the California Gold Rush, and the Crimean War. Wyld’s maps were of high quality, and he was appointed geographer to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.