Description
Johannes Theophilus HAHN (1842 – 1905).
Cape Town: Saul Solomon & Co., 1879.
Lithograph, dissected into 36 sections and mounted upon original linen, some contemporary mss. additions in pen and pencil, folding into contemporary olive cloth covers, with binder’s ticket of ‘R. Scott, Long St., Cape Town’ to inside front cover (Very Good, overall remarkably clean, just the odd tiny spot, a few tiny worm holes to lefthand side; covers with some edgewear and spotting), 161,5 x 109 cm (63.6 x 43 inches).
A beautifully preserved example of the foundational map of Namibia, capturing the territory of Great Namaqualand and Damaraland at a critical historical juncture, shortly before the declaration of the German protectorate of South West Africa. Compiled by the esteemed linguist, trader, and explorer Dr. Theophilus Hahn from his extensive personal reconnaissance and native interviews, it was published at the apex of pre-colonial exploration. It was lithographed in Cape Town at the Surveyor General’s Office, and printed by Saul Solomon, the legendary Jewish publisher, entrepreneur and liberal politician. Given the map’s great size and technical quality, it is an extraordinary monument of African colonial printing.
While preexisting maps of the era left the South West African interior largely blank or heavily generalized, Hahn spent decades traversing the arid landscapes to synthesize precise empirical data with direct field observations, creating a highly detailed, utilitarian masterpiece for traders, missionaries, and future colonial syndicates.
The map utilizes highly sophisticated hachuring to capture the rugged topography of Namibia’s mountainous interior and the Sandy escarpments of the Skeleton Coast running parallel to the Atlantic. Covering the vast expanse between 13°–20° E longitude and 19°–30° S latitude, the chart sets a new standard of accuracy for the placement of trigonometrical stations, geodetic readings of points set by astronomical observations, major peaks (complete with elevations), ephemeral riverbeds, pans, and early wagon tracks.
Crucially, the map functions as an invaluable ethnographic and political record of the region. It explicitly demarcates the boundaries and territorial distributions occupied by the various Nama groups and Herero factions, locating key mission stations, ancestral watering holes, and the territories of local chiefs (while often noting their populations). A comprehensive key at the bottom left outlines the legends for town settlements, permanent waters, boundaries, and travel routes. There is also a chart ‘Clicks in Hottentot’, explaining how key elements of the Nama language are pronounced.
The map abounds with Hahn’s notes and observations on various locations (some quite intriguing!), including “No water, only wild watermelon”; “Ombora omboya / Grandfather Tree of the Damaras”; “Sandwich Harb[our] / Fisheries belonging to Cape Town Firms”; “No Horse Sickness”; and “Hereabout are said to be some large fountains inhabited by an independent Namaqua tribe. Abundance of Game: Lions, Cameleopards [Giraffes], Rhinoceros, Elands, Ostriches”, while some identify the prevailing geology, such as “Triassic Limestone” and “Silurian Sandstone”.
The present example of the map also features contemporary manuscript additions largely focussing upon the locations of mines, indicating that it was actively used in the field.
The publication of Hahn’s map in 1879 captures South West Africa (Namibia) at a volatile turning point in its history. This febrile period was defined by intensifying regional warfare, shifting indigenous power structures, and the encroaching shadow of European imperial expansion.
For much of the 19th century, the central and southern regions of South West Afrika were defined by territorial conflicts between the pastoralist Herero (Damara) of the central plains and the Nama (Namaqua) groups of the arid south. In the early 1800s, firearm-equipped Nama clans (the Oorlams) migrated north from the Cape Colony, establishing a powerful hegemony over the region under leaders like Jonker Afrikaner. Eventually, the Peace of Okahandja (1870) brought about a period of relative stability which allowed the Herero, led by Paramount Chief Maharero, to consolidate their wealth in cattle and establish dominance over the central highlands. However, during the War of 1880, which occurred just one year after Hahn’s map was published, the peace collapsed. A devastating new conflict erupted between Maharero and the Nama leader Jan Jonker Afrikaner, plunging the territories into chaos.
Meanwhile, during the 1870s, British authorities in the Cape Colony viewed South West Africa as an extension of their geopolitical sphere of influence. In 1876, fearing total regional instability from the Nama-Herero conflicts, the Cape Government sent Special Commissioner William Coates Palgrave (head of the ‘Palgrave Mission’) to negotiate with indigenous chiefs. Palgrave attempted to persuade Maharero to accept a British residency and protectorate status. In 1878, Britain annexed Walvis Bay, the region’s only deepwater port, although they baulked at taking over the interior, owing to the great expense that would entail.
Britain’s decision to pass on annexing the bulk of Southwest Africa created a power vacuum that was filled by Germany. In 1883, a German merchant from Bremen named Adolf Lüderitz (who was advised by Hahn) purchased the trading post at Angra Pequena (now Lüderitz) from a local Nama chief through a series of infamously deceptive treaties. In 1884, Germany declared what would become Namibia as a protectorate, creating Deutsch-Südwestafrika. As such, Hahn’s map would serve as the blueprint for German imperial expansion into Southwest Africa’s interior.
Dr. Theophilus Hahn: The Pathfinder of Namibia
Johannes Theophilus Hahn (1842 – 1905) holds a prominent place in the history of southern African exploration, linguistics, and geography. Born in Rehoboth, Great Namaqualand, as the son of a Rhenish missionary, Hahn grew up speaking Nama fluently. He later moved to Germany to study philology and natural sciences at the University of Halle, earning his doctorate with a focus on the Khoikhoi language.
Returning to South West Africa as a trader and explorer, Hahn used his deep linguistic fluency and intimate familiarity with local tribal politics to venture into territories inaccessible to typical European expeditions. His profound understanding of the landscape culminated in the drafting of this map in Stellenbosch after leaving South West Africa in 1878. Beyond his geographic contributions, Hahn later served as the custodian of the prestigious Grey Collection at the South African Library and acted as a key strategic advisor to Adolf Lüderitz during the initial acquisitions of Angra Pequena.
Saul Solomon: Liberal Lion and Official Publisher of the Cape Colony
Saul Solomon (1817 – 1892) was a pioneering South African publisher, financier, and liberal politician who became the dominant political force in the Cape Colony for nearly three decades. Born in the island of St. Helena to a prosperous Jewish merchant family, a severe childhood illness permanently stunted his growth and left him with underdeveloped legs, forcing him to wear heavy iron supports for the rest of his life. Despite these profound physical limitations, his immense intellect and moral authority earned him the moniker the “Cape Disraeli”.
Moving to Cape Town in 1831, Solomon apprenticed in printing before buying out the business and building a massive media and financial empire on Longmarket Street. He became the proprietor of The Cape Argus, secured the lucrative contract as printer for the colonial government, and co-founded Old Mutual insurance, serving as its chairman as it grew into one of South Africa’s largest financial institutions.
Elected to the first Cape House of Assembly in 1854, Solomon served as the member for Cape Town until 1883. He was the chief architect of “Cape Liberalism”, fiercely championing a colour-blind franchise, native workers’ rights, and absolute religious equality through his successful “Voluntary Bill,” which ended state funding for churches. When the colony achieved full self-governance in 1872, Solomon was invited to become the very first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, an honour he declined due to fragile health. He preferred to wield his immense influence as an independent backbencher, drafting foundational legislation for infrastructure, hospitals, and prisons.
After spending his final political years battling rising pro-imperialist and segregationist factions, failing health forced his retirement in 1883. He immigrated to Great Britain in 1888 and passed away in Scotland on October 16, 1892, leaving a legacy as a principled champion of multi-racial democracy and human rights.
A Note on Rarity
The map is extremely rare; Solomon would have issued it in only a very limited print run. We can trace 6 institutional examples, held by the University of Cape Town Library; British Library; Weston Library, University of Oxford; Namibia Science Library (Windhoek); Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin and Die Forschungsbibliothek Gotha der Universität Erfurt und die Universitätsbibliothek Erfurt. Moreover, we are aware of only a single sales record for an example, appearing some years ago at a South African auction.
References: University of Cape Town Libraries: BC151 Bleek and Lloyd Collection; British Library: Maps 64620.(23.); Weston Library, University of Oxford: E58 (108); Namibia Science Library (Windhoek): 0014/000373; Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin: Kart. C 14817; Die Forschungsbibliothek Gotha der Universität Erfurt und die Universitätsbibliothek Erfurt: SPK 40.29 C (07); OCLC: 1238006287, 1238006287, 557017124, 1354302266.