1854 Doll / Schenck Map of the Atacama Desert, Chile

First specific map of the Atacama Desert.

Likely the first specific map of Chile's Atacama Desert, this is Wilhelm Döll's 1854 survey of Atacama, prepared during Rodolfo Amando Philippi's government-sponsored expedition into the largely uncharted interior. Extending from Cobija to Copiapó and eastward across salt flats, volcanic ranges, mining districts, and high Andean routes, it captures the Atacama at a pivotal moment—when scientific exploration, indigenous geography, silver discoveries, and competing Chilean and Bolivian territorial ambitions were beginning to transform the desert. Both a record of extraordinary fieldwork under conditions of extreme aridity and a harbinger of the mineral development and international conflict that followed, the map helped establish the geographical foundations for Chile's expanding interest in its northern frontier.

A Closer Look

The map extends from Cobija in the north to Copiapó in the south, and inland well into the Andes Mountains, covering roughly the northern quarter of today's Chile along with portions of Bolivia and Argentina. This fascinating region is among the most arid and mineral-rich in the world and, at the time of the Philippi Expedition, was primarily inhabited by indigenous peoples (especially the Atacameño, Diaguita, and Aymara). Therefore, many of the place names here are followed by a question mark, while much of the interior, aside from mountains, salt flats (salinas), rivers, and a few roads (one at the top leading to Salta), remains uncharted. The locations of several mines are also indicated; some of these went back centuries and were utilized by the region's indigenous inhabitants, while others (namely Chañarcillo and Tres Puntas) were the subject of recent silver rushes that brought an influx of outsiders and the region's first railway, between Caldera and Copiapó. Inland roads converge at Antofagasta (de la Sierra), now in Argentina, though the area was claimed by Bolivia until 1889; it is not to be confused with the later Chilean port of the same name.

The Philippi Expedition

In November 1853, German-Chilean naturalist and director of Chile's National Museum of Natural History, Rodolfo Amando Philippi (1808 - 1904), was commissioned by Chilean President Manuel Montt to lead a scientific expedition into the Atacama Desert. Philippi was tasked with mapping the terrain and evaluating the climate, mineral potential, and biological diversity of a territory that was becoming increasingly vital to the nation's strategic and economic interests. Over four grueling months spanning late 1853 to early 1854, Philippi and his team traversed hundreds of miles across hyper-arid coastlines, vast salt flats, and high-altitude Andean plateaus. Operating under extreme temperature fluctuations and severe water scarcity, the team mapped previously undocumented routes and documented geological phenomena, including observations on active volcanoes in the high Andes.

The expedition was a major scientific success, yielding hundreds of plant and animal specimens, including dozens of newly cataloged species of flora, reptiles, and invertebrates. In 1860, Philippi published his comprehensive findings in the seminal volume Viage al Desierto de Atacama (published concurrently in German as Reise durch die Wueste Atacama). Richly illustrated with detailed botanical drawings, maps, and landscape sketches, the publication stood as the first systematic, scientific account of the Atacama Desert. Beyond its lasting contribution to 19th-century natural history, Philippi's work helped reshape Chile's understanding of its northern desert, providing the scientific groundwork for the nation's subsequent industrial expansion and natural resource development.

Wider Historical Context

The Atacama region was disputed between Chile and Bolivia at the time of this map's production, with Cobija serving Bolivia's main port, meaning its loss would result in the country being landlocked. Peru and Argentina also had territorial claims in the wider Altiplano region, adding to tensions. Chile and Bolivia signed the Boundary Treaty of 1866, which established a 'Mutual Benefits zone' to share the region's vital access to the Pacific Ocean. But tensions remained, exacerbated by the global economic depression starting in 1873, perceptions of Chilean expansionism, and a realization of the potential exploitation of the considerable natural resources in the area. (A silver rush had been underway in the preceding decades in the Norte Chino and Norte Grande regions.) Thus, in 1873 Bolivia and Peru signed a secret defensive alliance, setting the stage for the 1879 War of the Pacific, which saw Chile annex Peruvian territory and formalized its control over the Pacific seaboard, leaving Bolivia permanently landlocked. In recent years, Chile and Peru have both granted Bolivia trading rights in the region. Still, the three countries have been unable to reach an agreement that would allow a land corridor to the sea, a long-sought goal of the Bolivian state.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Wilhelm Döll in 1854 and printed by the Lithographischen Anstalt von Hermann Schenck in Halle, Germany. It appeared in the German edition of Philippi's account of the expedition, Reise durch die Wüste Atacama. - auf Befehl der Chilenischen Regierung im Sommer 1853 - 54 unternommen und beschrieben von Rudolph Amandus Philippi, published in 1860 by Eduard Anton, also of Halle. The map is only independently cataloged among the holdings of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek and the Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Sachsen-Anhalt. A Spanish-language edition of the map, printed by the Geo-Lithographische Anstalt von H. Mahlmann in Berlin, is also held by the Biblioteca Nacional de Chile. Philippi's book, in either language, is well distributed in institutional collections, especially in Europe, but is rare on the market.

Cartographers

Friedrich Wilhelm Döll Sauer (Guilermo Döll; 1823 - 1910) was a German - Chilean engineer and surveyor best known for his work on the 1853 - 54 scientific expedition to explore and map the Atacama Desert, led by Rodolfo Amando Philippi. Döll was born in Hersfeld (now Bad Hersfeld) in Hesse and attended the Kassel Polytechnical School (the basis for today's University of Kassel), where he was a student of Philippi. Döll migrated to Chile in 1845 and settled in Valdivia, where the Chilean government had arranged for several thousand Germans to emigrate. Döll worked as a translator and took on various odd jobs, eventually gaining a bureaucratic posting, while also developing an interest in local historical sites and geology. He also reconnected with Philippi, who had fled Germany in the aftermath of the failed Revolutions of 1848, moved to Chile, and become the director of a high school in Valdivia. In 1852, Döll undertook scientific explorations of the Lake Llanquihue area with Rodolfo Amando Philippi and his brother Bernhard Eunom Philippi (1811 - 1852), also a naturalist and explorer as well as a successful merchant. In late 1853 to early 1853, he was surveyor and assistant to Rodolfo Amando Philippi on his expedition to the Atacama Desert. After the expedition, Döll taught at the Liceo de Literario in Valdivia and collaborated with Armando Pissis on a topographic and geographic map of Chile. He then served as the Director of the School of Arts and Trades (Escuela de Artes y Oficios) in Santiago, predecessor to the University of Santiago. In 1849, Döll married Agustina de la Fuente y Flores, with whom he had at least four children. Döll's wife died young, at age 32 or 33 in 1866, and he seemingly never remarried. Two species of plant in the extreme Atacama environment were named in his honor: Hoffmannseggia doellii and Peperomia doellii.   Further Details...

Hermann Schenck (March 16, 1829 - October 9, 1912) was a German lithographic printer, draughtsman, and painter based in Halle and Berlin. He was an employee of the Lithographische Anstalt Albert Meyer, founded by Albert Meyer (1817 - 1880) and Wilhelm Engel as the first lithographic printshop in Halle in 1843. After Engels left the business in 1855, Schenck took over management of it until 1862, when he left Halle established his own printing house in Berlin. The Lithographische Anstalt Albert Meyer was eventually taken over by Albert Meyer's son, Eugen Meyer (1855 - 1935) and upon his death by Albert Keil (as Lithographische Anstalt Albert Keil, vormals Albert Meyer) until 1939. As for Schenck, in 1870 he returned to Halle from Berlin to join the faculty of the Universität Halle (now part of Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg) as a drawing instructor and later as a professor. Over his career, Schenck worked in a wide range of media and methods, including engraving, lithography, sketches, watercolors, and oil paintings. Among his printed works were several dealing with archeology and Biblical themes, while his paintings included landscapes and portraits.   Further Details...

Condition

Excellent.

References

OCLC 166023514, 1163601946. Biblioteca Nacional de Chile, No. Sistema: 1075783.