1726 Map of the Cape of Good Hope by Francois Valentijn

This 1726 map of the Cape of Good Hope by François Valentijn, titled Nieuwe Kaart van Caap der Goede Hoep, is one of the earliest detailed printed maps of the Cape Colony and its hinterland, combining geography, ethnography, and colonial observation. Spanning from Table Bay and the Cape Peninsula eastward to the Breede River and north into the interior, it depicts the settlements, farms, rivers, and bays known to the Dutch East India Company (VOC), including St. Helena Bay, Saldanha Bay, and False Bay, rendered with dramatic hachured relief. Indigenous peoples such as the Namaquas, Cochoquas, Hessequas, Attaquas, and Sonquas are identified across the interior, reflecting VOC reports and early colonial ethnography. An inset in the upper right focuses on the Cape Peninsula, showing Cape Town, Table Bay, and early VOC fortifications. Published in Valentijn’s monumental Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën (1724–1726), the map drew heavily on Simon van der Stel’s 1685 expedition to Namaqualand, blending firsthand exploration with speculative interior geography. As both a geographic and political statement, it documents the VOC’s expanding frontier and remains a landmark in early 18th-century cartography of southern Africa, balancing empirical observation with the imaginative geography of the early colonial era.

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.