Was Australia charted before 1606? : the Java la Grande inscriptions /William A.R. Richardson.

"Dutchman Willem Janszoon's arrival on the shores of Cape York in 1606 is widely regarded as the first reliably documented non-Aboriginal arrival on Australia's shores. This book examines the evidence that Portuguese, French, Chinese and others were earlier visitors. Author William A.R. Richardson, Associate Professor at Flinders University, South Australia, examines the evidence for these claims and presents his own case. Much of the Portuguese claim rests on the evidence of a series of sixteenth-century French maps which show a charted landmass - Jave la Grande, south of Indonesia - which some have identified as Australia. Richardson devotes much of his book to considering this issue in detail, in particular the information that place-names can provide in identification. This book is illustrated throughout with charts and maps, some of which are beautifully embellished, showcasing the exquisite art and skill of the mapmakers of the day." -- Provided by the publisher.