1686 Dapper Map of Western Central Africa

This is a 1686 Olfert Dapper map of the western central Africa. The map depicts the Atlantic coast of Africa from approximately Gabon to Angola, with the inland portions of the map depicting parts of the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Highly detailed, numerous towns and smaller settlements are labeled throughout, along with rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges. Mountains are illustrated along the coast and farther inland, with trees dotting the landscape and lining the tributaries of the Congo River (Rio Zaire). Several African animals are illustrated, including lions and elephants. The political divisions on the map are not well defined, but the Kingdom of the Congo and the Kingdom of Angola are both labeled. Lake Aquilunda, an apocryphal lake believed to be in Angola, is depicted here, with numerous rivers flowing out of it. Dapper consulted numerous sources when compiling Description of Africa, and Lake Aquilunda was widely reported by explorers in their accounts of the region, thus its inclusion here. Through a series of rivers, water from Lake Aquilunda both reaches the Atlantic and traverses the continent to join the Congo River. Some ships are illustrated in the Atlantic off the coast. A decorative title cartouche is situated in the lower left corner, surrounded by an ostrich, a rhinoceros, a monkey, and an elephant, along with three figures who appear to be slaves, and most likely a slave trader.

This view was produced by Olfert Dapper and published by in the French edition of Description of Africa entitled Description de L'Afrique and published in 1686.