Takeaways

Through a close reading of the symbols, colors, and orientation of the map we can discern its primary use as a navigational map for German and British ships coming into and out of the Mumbai harbor. Still, its readership extends beyond the time period of its primary use, as it accumulates meaning as a historical document. We, too, are its viewership. With the knowledge of hindsight we can view this map as an artifact of a specific time period, and a piece of the recorded history of the development of the Mumbai port. Beyond its navigational purpose, the map represents a moment when industry and commercial development were important to Mumbai, such that the map's aesthetic reflect a somewhat bare, industrial vision of Mumbai in which transportation of goods is central. The map and its place in a larger series express both a navigational need and Mumbai's inclusion in the globalizing, commercializing, industrializing world of which Britain and Germany would consider themselves a part.