Famous map of the Negev Desert, then part of the Ottoman Empire and Palestine, now part of southern Israel.

The main focus of the map is to show two journeys. The first is of Edward Robinson and Eli Smith. This journey is marked in red between Akabah (Aqaba) in Jordan and Hebron in Palestine. The other journey marked on the map is that of Count Jules de Bertou in blue, between Akabah again and Jerusalem.

Robinson is extremely well known in archaeological and historical circles and has been cited as the “father of Biblical Geography”. His published work, “Biblical Researches in Palestine, Mount Sinai and Arabia Petraea” identified multiple Biblical sites and features for the first time in the modern period. He was awarded the Royal Geographical Society’s Gold Medal for his achievements.

The Count the Bertou was also an intrepid traveller although of a less academic bent. He made two journeys through this region and this map documents the first.

The map was compiled by the noted German geographer, academic and professor, Heinrich Berghaus, who sent it to London to accompany a Royal Geographical Society article on Robinson’s achievements. It has been studied and cited as an example of Anglo-German scientific co-operation.
Original colour. [MEAST4658]