1656 Map of southern Africa by Nicolas Sanson

The 1656 map of southern Africa by Nicolas Sanson, titled Pays, et Coste des Caffres: Empires du Monomotapa, Monoemugi, is one of the earliest printed European maps to include the newly settled Cape of Good Hope, situating it within a broader conception of Africa’s southern and eastern regions. Extending from the Cape northward to present-day Mozambique and Zimbabwe, it combines genuine geographic knowledge from Portuguese exploration with enduring legends of African empires such as Monomotapa (Mutapa) and the semi-mythical Monoemugi. Sanson identifies key coastal features including Sofala, Mozambique Island, and the “Land of the Caffres,” reflecting early European encounters with Nguni-speaking peoples. Drawn in Sanson’s restrained, scholarly French style, the map marks a departure from the ornate Dutch tradition, emphasizing clarity and rational geography. Issued just four years after the Dutch East India Company established its station at the Cape in 1652, it captures a pivotal historical moment when European understanding of southern Africa was expanding from hearsay and speculation to empirical observation. The map’s mixture of coastal detail and mythical interior kingdoms epitomizes the 17th-century transition from medieval imagination to scientific cartography.

This map is a reproduction of a historical map that is now in the public domain. It has been selected for its aesthetic appeal and historical interest and carefully restored and reproduced to preserve its original detail and character.  There may be marks and fold lines visible which add to the authentic look.  The map is printed on 230gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish.  Most old maps were printed on uncoated rag or wood pulp papers and therefore a matte finish best represents the original map.