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Title
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Cory Map Collections
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Description
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The Cory Map Collections form one of the most comprehensive cartographic repositories in Southern Africa. Curated by the Cory Library for Historical Research at Rhodes University, the collection is a vital resource for understanding the evolving spatial, political, and social boundaries of the Eastern Cape and the broader subcontinent.
The maps range from early 16th-century European depictions of the African continent to highly detailed 19th-century military surveys of the Eastern Cape frontier. They document the progress of colonial settlement, the demarcation of mission stations, the layout of frontier forts, and the development of early South African infrastructure like post offices and post-war schools.
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Temporal Coverage
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c. 1540 – 1980
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Cartographics - Scale
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Varies (from 1:5,000 for town plans to 1:1,000,000 for regional maps
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Format
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Vellum, linen-backed paper, and modern digital surrogates