Entitled Syria, this 1843 map from the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge presents a lucid portrait of the Levant as understood in the early nineteenth century. It spans the Mediterranean littoral to the inland plateaus, encompassing territories that today include Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel, while centering the historical Syrian heartland. The composition balances terrain and polity: mountains are etched with disciplined hachures, the Jordan River is traced from its northern sources, and administrative demarcations are crisply drawn. Damascus and Aleppo anchor an articulate network of towns, and the coastal sequence from Latakia through Tripoli and Beirut to Haifa is cleanly paced. An inset of the Sinai Peninsula broadens the frame, underscoring the hinge between Egypt and the Levant.

Conceived under the SDUK’s reformist banner, the map fuses rigorous scholarship with clarity. Founded to widen access to dependable knowledge, the Society distilled travel narratives, consular intelligence, missionary geography, and Ottoman descriptions into authoritative, affordable references. Issued just after the upheavals of the 1830s and on the threshold of Tanzimat reforms, this sheet fixes a region whose administration and allegiances were shifting, yet it conveys that complexity with sober organization. Its precise linework and neatly lettered toponyms reflect the SDUK’s commitment to accuracy, while the ornamental cartouche nods to the classical aura the Levant held for the era’s learned public.

Physically, the map is a study in relief and water. The Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon ranges are rendered in fine gradations that carve out the Beqaa corridor and the traditional approaches to Damascus. Northward, the Orontes River bends past Hama and Homs toward the sea; southward, the Jordan River threads the rift from the Galilee to its terminal basin. Bays and capes articulate an active seaboard, guiding the eye along the ports that mediated Mediterranean exchange. Inland, the mapping of steppe margins against cultivated valleys conveys the delicate transition from sown to desert, while the uplands and passes signal the routes by which pilgrims, merchants, and officials historically traversed the land.

Urban and historical geographies are interleaved with care. Damascus appears as the emporium of the interior, seat of administration and caravan nexus toward the Hauran and Arabia. Aleppo, long a commercial magnet, anchors northern circuits that tie to Anatolia and the Euphrates routes. Homs and Hama punctuate the Orontes corridor; Latakia complements the beating coastal heart of Tripoli and Beirut. Southward, Jerusalem and the Galilee form a spiritual and cartographic fulcrum, plotted in relation to the Jordan valley and to Haifa’s anchorage. To the east, Amman and Jerash (ancient Gerasa) attest to the cartographer’s sensitivity to antiquity, situating modern habitations amid the enduring lattice of Roman and biblical landscapes.

Politically, the sheet outlines the Ottoman provincial fabric—the pashaliks and districts that ordered authority from Aleppo to Damascus—rendering borders as both markers of governance and membranes of exchange. Drawn in the immediate wake of the Egyptian interlude in Syria, these lines capture a moment when diplomacy, reform, and geography met on paper. The Sinai inset enlarges that perspective, illuminating the land bridge that linked Nile and Levant and the pilgrimage, postal, and military corridors that animated it. The result is a work in which administrative intelligence and physical geography are inseparable—a vivid, learned snapshot of how mid-nineteenth-century Europe understood Syria’s terrain, cities, and frontiers at the crossroads of empire, faith, and trade.

Cities and towns on this map

• Damascus
• Aleppo
• Homs
• Hama
• Latakia
• Beirut
• Tripoli
• Amman
• Jerash
• Jerusalem
• Galilee
• Haifa

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Major geographical features: Includes bodies of water like the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River.
• Mountain ranges: Indicates the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and other notable elevations.
• Political borders: Outlines the boundaries of provinces or territories in the region.
• Insets: Includes inset maps providing additional detailed views of specific regions like the Sinai Peninsula.

Historical and design context

• Year of creation: 1843
• Mapmaker/publisher: Published by the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge (SDUK).
• Interesting context about the mapmaker: SDUK was established in the early 19th century in Britain, aimed at promoting education and knowledge through well-researched and accessible publications, including maps.
• Topics and themes: The map covers both political boundaries and geographic features, emphasizing the physical terrain as well as demarcations of administrative regions.
• Design/style: The map features a detailed line drawing style with a clear layout of geographical features and settlements. The cartographer used a traditional 19th-century aesthetic with an ornate cartouche and meticulous detail.
• Historical significance: This map is significant as it reflects the political and territorial perceptions of the region in the early 19th century, which were influenced by colonial interests and regional dynamics.

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

The fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.

If you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the best old maps to see if something else catches your eye.

Please contact me to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.

This would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.

This map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.

For most orders, delivery time is about 3 working days. Personalised and customised products take longer, as I have to do the personalisation and send it to you for approval, which usually takes 1 or 2 days.

Please note that very large framed orders usually take longer to make and deliver. 

If you need your order to arrive by a certain date, please contact me before you order so that we can find the best way of making sure you get your order in time.

I print and frame maps and artwork in 23 countries around the world. This means your order will be made locally, which cuts down on delivery time and ensures that it won't be damaged during delivery. You'll never pay customs or import duty, and we'll put less CO2 into the air.

All of my maps and art prints are well packaged and sent in a rugged tube if unframed, or surrounded by foam if framed.

I try to send out all orders within 1 or 2 days of receiving your order, though some products (like face masks, mugs and tote bags) can take longer to make.

If you select Express Delivery at checkout your order we will prioritise your order and send it out by 1-day courier (Fedex, DHL, UPS, Parcelforce).

Next Day delivery is also available in some countries (US, UK, Singapore, UAE) but please try to order early in the day so that we can get it sent out on time.

Read my full delivery and local production guide

My standard frame is a gallery style black ash hardwood frame. It is simple and quite modern looking. My standard frame is around 20mm (0.8in) wide.

I use super-clear acrylic (perspex/acrylite) for the frame glass. It's lighter and safer than glass - and it looks better, as the reflectivity is lower.

Six standard frame colours are available for free (black, dark brown, dark grey, oak, white and antique gold). Custom framing and mounting/matting is available if you're looking for something else.

Most maps, art and illustrations are also available as a framed canvas. We use matte (not shiny) cotton canvas, stretch it over a sustainably sourced box wood frame, and then 'float' the piece within a wood frame. The end result is quite beautiful, and there's no glazing to get in the way.

All frames are provided "ready to hang", with either a string or brackets on the back. Very large frames will have heavy duty hanging plates and/or a mounting baton. If you have any questions, please get in touch.

See some examples of my framed maps and framed canvas maps.

Alternatively, I can also supply old maps and artwork on canvas, foam board, cotton rag and other materials.

If you want to frame your map or artwork yourself, please read my size guide first.

My maps are extremely high quality reproductions of original maps.

I source original, rare maps from libraries, auction houses and private collections around the world, restore them at my London workshop, and then use specialist giclée inks and printers to create beautiful maps that look even better than the original.

My maps are printed on acid-free archival matte (not glossy) paper that feels very high quality and almost like card. In technical terms the paper weight/thickness is 10mil/200gsm. It's perfect for framing.

I print with Epson ultrachrome giclée UV fade resistant pigment inks - some of the best inks you can find.

I can also make maps on canvas, cotton rag and other exotic materials.

Learn more about The Unique Maps Co.

Map personalisation

If you're looking for the perfect anniversary or housewarming gift, I can personalise your map to make it truly unique. For example, I can add a short message, or highlight an important location, or add your family's coat of arms.

The options are almost infinite. Please see my map personalisation page for some wonderful examples of what's possible.

To order a personalised map, select "personalise your map" before adding it to your basket.

Get in touch if you're looking for more complex customisations and personalisations.

Map ageing

I have been asked hundreds of times over the years by customers if they could buy a map that looks even older.

Well, now you can, by selecting Aged before you add a map to your basket.

All the product photos you see on this page show the map in its Original form. This is what the map looks like today.

If you select Aged, I will age your map by hand, using a special and unique process developed through years of studying old maps, talking to researchers to understand the chemistry of aging paper, and of course... lots of practice!

If you're unsure, stick to the Original colour of the map. If you want something a bit darker and older looking, go for Aged.

See some amazing examples of Aged maps.

If you are not happy with your order for any reason, contact me and I'll get it fixed ASAP, free of charge. Please see my returns and refund policy for more information.

I am very confident you will like your restored map or art print. I have been doing this since 1984. I'm a 5-star Etsy seller. I have sold tens of thousands of maps and art prints and have over 5,000 real 5-star reviews. My work has been featured in interior design magazines, on the BBC, and on the walls of dozens of 5-star hotels.

I use a unique process to restore maps and artwork that is massively time consuming and labour intensive. Hunting down the original maps and illustrations can take months. I use state of the art and eye-wateringly expensive technology to scan and restore them. As a result, I guarantee my maps and art prints are a cut above the rest. I stand by my products and will always make sure you're 100% happy with what you receive.

Almost all of my maps and art prints look amazing at large sizes (200cm, 6.5ft+) and I can frame and deliver them to you as well, via special oversized courier. Contact me to discuss your specific needs.