This handsome sea chart covers the central portion of the western coast of present-day Saudi Arabia. Jeddah, the largest port on the Red Sea and a major gateway to Mecca, is the only city shown. The rest of the detail is confined to the sea, which is filled with rhumb lines, soundings, hazards, shoals, and anchorages.

A French sailor and hydrographer, D' Après de Mannevillette (1707-1780) used new instruments to correct the latitudes measured by previous explorers. His atlas Le Neptune Oriental, first published in 1745, was considered a major achievement and an indispensable resource for navigators.

References: Shirley (BL Atlases) M.APR-1c.

Condition: B+

A dark impression on sturdy, watermarked paper with light soiling and a damp stain that enters the image at top left.