A good example of Mortier's highly detailed map of the area around Charleston, South Carolina (founded 1669), the earliest obtainable map of South Carolina printed outside of England.

Covens & Mortier's map is based upon surveys and manuscript maps prepared by Maurice Mathews and an extremely rare map of South Carolina by Thornton and Morden, published ca. 1695, which is generally regarded as the first obtainable map of the region around Charleston to appear in a Commercial Atlas.

The map extends from the Edisto River in the South to the Sewee and Santee Rivers in the North, centered on Charles Town and the Cooper River. While the title is in French, the map includes the names of dozens of early landowners around Charleston and along the coastline and the major rivers, extending far up the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, Goos Creek, Edisto River and Wando River. At the northernmost point on the Cooper River, the Santee Indian Fort, Faralaunes, and the Colleton's Barony are shown. Sir John Colleton (1608-1666) lost most of his property to the forces of Parliament, but was later knighted by Charles II, upon restoration of the Stuart Monarchy. He was a member of the Council for Foreign Plantations and of the Royal African Company which introduced slavery into British possessions in North America.

"Carolina was established in 1663, when Charles II granted the province to eight favorites (including Colleton), known as the Lord Proprietors, who had helped him regain the throne of England. The original grant included the territory between the 31st degree to 36 1/2 degrees north latitude, from Jekyll Island, Georgia, to Currituck Inlet, North Carolina. Two years later, the tract was enlarged to include the land between the 29th and the 31st degree north latitude, thus adding a large portion of Florida. The grant extended west to the Pacific Ocean" (Degrees of Latitude, p.93). Carolina was divided into two separate colonies in 1712, and South Carolina received its royal charter in 1729.

The map also notes a number of Indian Settlements and shows the early roads in the region.

States of the Map

This is the first state of the map, with the imprint of Pierre Mortier. A second state, with a page number and imprint of Covens & Mortier, appeared circa 1730.

An essential map for South Carolina Collectors.