This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website

South African local flags in c. 1576

Last modified: 2006-01-21 by bruce berry
Keywords: south africa | portulano | dourado (fernão vaz) |
Links: FOTW homepage | search | disclaimer and copyright | write us | mirrors


See also:

Introduction

I have a small reproduction of an old map made by Fernão Vaz Dourado in 1576. This map reproduces the southeastern coastal areas of Africa, from southern Namibia to the easternmost tip of Somalia. It contains nine reproductions of flags over those “city drawings” so common in the maps of that time. I GIFfed the flags to the best of my eye resolution (the reproduction is small and some details are not obvious). These are: Are these flags really the flags used by those places at the time? Or, rephrasing the question: are these maps reliable in what concerns flag-info (they are not in what concerns geo-info, that’s for sure!...)
Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998
 

Eastern Transvaal

image by Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998

Placed over the eastern Transvaal. The flag is like tz-1576s, except that is lighter and the colours are reversed.
Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998
 

SE South Africa

image by Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998

Placed in SE South Africa or Swaziland. The flag is very similar to tz-1576n, except that this one is really maroon.
Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998

Orange river mouth

image by Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998

Placed to the south of the Orange river's mouth. The flag is identical to mz-1576n.
Jorge Candeias, 04 Apr 1998
 

Flags of the World is produced and maintained by an Editorial Staff of unpaid volunteers and the contents of these pages are offered freely to the Internet community.
This Fotw.net mirror is sponsored by MrFlag.com (for flag and bunting ). Web design and eCommerce for MrFlag.com by Wired Media .