Map of Africa – 1804

Nineteenth-Century German Cartography of the African Continent

This remarkable antique map, titled “Charte von Africa,” was drafted by the German cartographer J.C.M. Reinecke and published in Weimar by the Geographisches Institut in 1804. Based on the latest astronomical observations and travel records of the early nineteenth century, the copperplate engraving presents a detailed look at Africa’s known coastal borders, featuring historical regional labels such as Barbary (Barbarei), Sahara (Die Grosse Wüste), and Guinea (Ober-Guinea).

Unexplored Territories and Early Geographic Survey Inscriptions

A fascinating characteristic of this archival document is the vast central portion designated as unexplored or unknown lands (“Unbekannte Länder”). The map layout traces early river channels, including the complex delta systems of the Nile and the Niger, while retaining traditional historical boundaries prior to the late-nineteenth-century European colonial partitions, making it an exceptional primary reference for collectors of authentic African historical cartography.