Kerala

Map of the Coasts of Malabar, Coromandel and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)

This Latin map by Johann Baptist Homann is an important historical record as it shows English, Dutch, French, Danish and Portuguese establishments in the Deccan in the early 1700s.  Johann Baptist Homann was a German cartographer, geographer, publisher and engraver of the mid-17th century. His family business was perhaps the most famous German map publishing… Read more »

The Prospect of Cranganor

This is an engraving on Hand-made paper, after Hilippus Baldaeus (1632 – 1672). Craganor is the Anglisised name of the region of Kodungallur, a municipality in the Thissur district of Kerala. In history, the place was one of the leading ports and commercial centres of South India, also associated with the ancient port town of… Read more »

Chera, Copper, Un-inscribed

The Chera dynasty ruled in southern India during the Sangam age between 3rd Century BC and 9th Century AD. During this time, the biggest empires in the region were the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas. The Cheras, who controlled the west Malabar coast, were the first powerful dynasty from Kerala and hence given the moniker Keralaputras,… Read more »