Abstract:
Over the last 100 years, a limited number of cartography historians have proposed syntheses on the oldest Portuguese maps of Southeast Asia, a theme closely linked to the whole of the Iberian maps of the sixteenth century and conditioned by the Portuguese-Castilian diplomatic dispute over the possession of the Moluccas. We present an analysis of the main works dedicated to this topic of research and examine how these essays reflect the diverse theoretical and methodological paradigms proper to the history of cartography, as well as specific national and institutional contexts. We will also assess the extent to which its legacy incorporates some of the most pertinent issues inherent in the current theoretical debate on the history of cartography, starting with those that postulate the need to address the technical, cultural and political contexts underlying the design and circulation of maps.
Keywords:
Portuguese cartography; Insular Southeast Asia; Theory in the history of cartography