Research Laboratories of Archaeology


Early Maps of the American South
— Special Topics: American Indian Maps

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This page contains maps that were drawn by American Indians or copied from Indian prototypes.

Many can be viewed on the web sites of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF), the Library of Congress (LC), The Newberry library (NL), or the Archives nationales d'Outre-Mer (ANOM). Click here for a complete list of repositories and their abbreviations.

Images whose links are labeled "HMC photo" are posted here courtesy of the Harvard Map Collection, Harvard College Library. The images labeled "LC photo" are posted courtesy of the Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress.

Map numbers in Jackson's Manuscript Maps Concerning the Gulf Coast, Texas, and the Southwest (Jackson) and Cumming's The Southeast in Early Maps (SEM) are shown in brackets after the map author's name. Click here for a complete list of bibliographic sources cited below.

[The documents on this site were compiled by Vincas P. Steponaitis. Please email comments and suggestions to him at vps@email.unc.edu.]
 

  1. Anonymous [Catawba] [SEM 193]
    [ca. 1721]: A Map Describing the Situation of the several Nations of Indians between South Carolina and the Massisipi River; was Copyed from a Draught Drawn & Painted upon a Deer Skin by an Indian Cacique: and Presented to Francis Nicholson Esqr. Governor of Carolina. [The assigned date follows Waselkov. Cumming places this map ca. 1724.] [Reproduced in Hulbert (1907-16), ser. III, pl. 7-8.] [Public Record Office (UK), CO 700 / North American Colonies General 6/1.] [Formerly Colonial Office Library (London), North America 6.] [PRO catalog] [PRO (d)] [Hulbert (p), LC composite]
     
  2. Anonymous [Catawba] [SEM 194]
    [ca. 1721]: This map describing the scituation of the Several Nations of Indians to the N.W. of South Carolina was coppyed from a Draught drawn & painted on a Deer skin by an Indian Cacique and presented to Francis Nicholson Esqr. Governour of South Carolina by whom it is most humbly Dedicated to His Royal Highness George Prince of Wales. [The assigned date follows Waselkov. Cumming places this map ca. 1724.] [Reproduced in Hulbert (1907-16), ser. II, vol. 3, pl. 37.] [British Library, Additional MS 4723 (formerly Sloane MS 4723).] [Library of Congress photo, G3860 1724 .M2 1929.] [LC photo] [Hulbert (p), LC] [Hulbert (p), UNC]
     
  3. Anonymous [Chickasaw?] [SEM 192]
    [ca. 1723:] A Map Describing the Situation of the several Nations of Indians between South Carolina and the Massisipi River; was Copyed from a Draught Drawn & Painted upon a Deer Skin by an Indian Cacique: and Presented to Francis Nicholson Esqr. Governour of Carolina. [The assigned date follows Waselkov. Cumming places this map ca. 1724.] [Public Record Office (UK), CO 700 / North American Colonies General 6/2.] [Formerly Colonial Office Library (London), North America 6.] [PRO catalog] [LSM] [AAS]
     
  4. Batz, Alexandre de [SEM 236C]
    1737a: Plan et Scituation des Villages Tchikachas. [Translated in Mississippi Provincial Archives I, p. 357; reproduced in Mississippi Provincial Archives IV, p. 155] [Reproduced in Villiers du Terrage 1921, Planche 1.] [Archives nationales (Paris), Archives des Colonies, C13A, vol. 22, fol. 68.] [Villiers (p)] [SRC]
     
  5. Batz, Alexandre de [cf. SEM 236C]
    1737b: Plan et Scituation des Villages Tchikachas. [Archives nationales d'outre-mer, F3 290 14] [Unsigned copy of Batz 1737a.] [ANOM] [NFA (d)]
     
  6. Batz, Alexandre de [SEM 236B]
    1737c: Nations Amies et Ennemies des Tchikachas. [Translated in Mississippi Provincial Archives I, p. 355-356; reproduced in Mississippi Provincial Archives IV, p. 142] [Reproduced in Villiers du Terrage 1921, Planche 2.] [Archives nationales (Paris), Archives des Colonies, C13A, vol. 22, fol. 67.] [Villiers (p)]
     
  7. Batz, Alexandre de [cf. SEM 236B]
    1737d: Nations Amies et Ennemies des Tchicachas. [Unsigned copy of Batz 1737c.] [Archives nationales d'outre-mer, F3 290 12] [ANOM] [NFA (d)]
     
  8. Buache, Philippe (1700-1773); Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749)
    1754: Carte Physique des Terreins les plus eleves de la Partie Orientale du Canada. [Inset:] Reduction de la Carte Tracee par le Sauvage Ochagach et autres, laquelle a donne lieu aux Decouvertes de Officiers Francois representees sans la Carte cy jointe. Paris. [Print.] Ruderman]
     
  9. Chegeree
    [1755?]: Map of the Country about the Mississippi. Drawn by Chegeree (the Indian) who says he has Traveled through the Country. [34 x 42 cm. mounted on sheet 39 x 65 cm.] [LC, G3300 1755 .C5 Vault] [LC]
     
  10. Miguel (Indian); Esteban, Hernando [TL 50]
    [1602]: Pintura que por mandado de d[on] Francisco Balverde de Mercado factor de S.M. hizo Mi[guel] yndio natural de las provincias del Nuevo México [del] modo de las poblaciones de las dichas provincias [con] la declaración en ellas como el lo dixo y dió á entender por señas, y el nombre de los pueblos pronun]ciá]dolos como están escriptos. Don Fran[cis]co Balverde de M[er]cado. Hernando Estevan, escribano real. / Va çierto e verdadero este traslado / Hernando Esteva, escribano real. [AGI catalog: Explanatory note in the center says the map was drawn by Miguel, an Indian, with toponymy and notes by Hernando Esteban, royal scribe. It shows the settlements of the Aguacane or Escanjaque Indians and the Wichita or Rayados, a territory explored by Juan de Oñate during the expedition to Quivira in 1601.] [Archivo General de Indias, Mapas y Planos, Mexico 50.] [AGI catalog] [AGI]
     
  11. Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749)
    [ca. 1728]: Carte copiée sur celle tracée par le sauvage Ochagach et autres. [Map copied from the one drawn by the savage Ochagach and others.] [Archives nationales d'outre-mer, FR CAOM COL E 199 dossier La Vérendrye (Gaultier de Laveranderie, Pierre).] [ANOM catalog] [ACF (w)] [ACF (d)]
     
  12. Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749); Aguilar, Martin de
    [ca. 1728]: Carte des rivieres et fleuves, courant a l'ouet du nord du Lac Superieur, suivant la carte par le sauvage Ochagac & autres, reduite dans celle cy sur une meme echelle, il paroist que le Fleuve de l'Ouest ou les savages disent quils ont trouvé plas bas que la Montagne de Pierre Brillante l'eau mauvaise a boire a la flax & reflux, cet endrou se rend vers l'entrée decovuerte par Martin d'Aguilar ... [HMC Karpinski series F 07-1-5.] [Formerly in Bibliothèque nationale de France, Estampes, Vd.22 (11).] [NL catalog] [HMC photo]
     
  13. Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749); Bobé, Jean (1654-1735)
    [ca. 1728]: Cours des rivières et fleuve, courant à l'ouest du nord du lac Supérieur, suivant la carte faite par le sauvage Ochagac et autres, réduite dans celle cy sur une mesme échelle. [HMC Karpinski series F 30-3-4.] [Service historique de la Défense, département Marine, Cartes et plans, recueil 67, no. 87.] [Formerly in Bibliothèque de la Service hydrographique, 4044B-84.] [NL catalog] [HMC photo]
     
  14. Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749); L'Isle, Guillaume de (1675-1726)
    [ca. 1728]: Cours des rivières, et fleuves, courant à l'ouest du nord du Lac Supérieur, suivant la carte faite par le sauvage Ochagac et autres, reduite dans celle cy sur une meme Echelle ... [Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Cartes et plans, Ge DD 2987 (8696 B).] [BNF catalog] [BNF]
     
  15. Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749); Margry, Pierre (1818-1894)
    [ca. 1728]: Carte copiée sur celle qui a été tracée par le sauvage Ochagache et autres. [617 x 1,825 mm.] [Tracing by Pierre Margry made in 1846 from ca. 1728 ms. map compiled for Pierre Gaultier de Varrenes, sieur de La Vérendrye, from Cree Indian sources, including Ochagach. [Original map in BSH B 4044-16; ms. variant, BSH B 4044-84.] [Shows waterways in western Canada and the West (U.S.) from the northern shore of Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods, Lake Winnipeg, the upper Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, and the lower Saskatchewan and Assiniboine Rivers. Identifies portages, rapids, tribal regions, and Fort Kaministiquia. Includes 34 numbered sites apparently meant to accompany map legend (lacking).] [Newberry Library, Ayer MS map 186.] [NL catalog] [NL-CARLI] [NL-CARLI, composite] [NL (t)]
     
  16. Ochagach (Cree Indian); La Vérendrye, Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de (1685-1749)
    [ca. 1728]: [Carte copiée sur celle qui a été tracée par le sauvage Ochagach et autres, comprenant la région des Grands Lacs, depuis la "montagne de Pierres brilliantes" jusqu'au "Poste de Kamanestigovia", près du lac Supérieur, vers 1750.] [Signature under scale:] B. Janv. 1750. [HMC Karpinski series F 28-2-3.] [Service historique de la Défense, département Marine, Cartes et plans, recueil 67, no. 16.] [Formerly in Bibliothèque de la Service hydrographique, 4044B-16.] [NL catalog] [HMC photo]