1787 Walter Chart or Map of Yambo or Yanbu, Saudi Arabia

This is an interesting example of the 1787 map depicting the city of Yambo or Yanbu’ al Bahr in Saudi Arabia issued by J. Dodsley. Yambo, located in the Al Madinah province of western Saudi Arabia is a major sea port on the coast of the Red Sea. Essentially a nautical chart, the map depicts an interesting view of the city with buildings in profile and exceptionally detailed coastal features. Depth soundings are noted. A key in the lower left of the map notes the location of the various events encountered by the author.

This map was issued as part of the book by Eyels Irwin, titled A Series of Adventures in the Course of a Voyage Up the Red-sea, on the Coasts of Arabia and Egypt, and of a Route Through the Desarts of Thebais in the Year 1777 with a supplement of a voyage from Venice to Latichea; and of a route through the desarts of Arabia, by Aleppo, Bagdad, and the Tygris, to Bursrah in the years 1780 and 1781 in letters to a Lady. The book is an account of Eyels Irwin, an East India Company official who travelled up the Red Sea coast of Arabia in the 1770s. This map was drawn by Walter delin and published by J. Dodsley.