An anonymous plan of the Bay of Pollensa in Mallorca orientated to the southwest. Dating from the second half of the eighteenth century, this attractive map is most likely the earliest plan of the bay. The title upper right containing a scale translated from the French states ‘Plan of the harbour and fort of Alcúdia located to the east of the island of Majorca. Anchors designate good anchorages in the Mediterranean Sea.’

The Bay is largely devoid of development unlike today. The only location is the Bronze Age town of Alcudia at the foot of the bay, made famous by the Romans when captured in 123 BC. On the opposing shore is Fort de Le’cudia, now known as La Fortaleza. The original fort was completed in 1628. A second hexagonal building was constructed between 1682 and 1692, most likely at the instigation of Vicente Mut Armengol (1614-87). A native of the island he became a noted astronomer, engineer, historian, and mathematician. He was instrumental in the fortification of the island to protect it from marauding pirates. He illustrated the second building on his fabulous, printed map of 1683, arguably the first accurate map of the island.

The town of Puerto Pollensa is not present. Below that is the island of Formentor, famous as a resort today. ‘Cap fourmenteli’, or Cap Formentor is at the bottom of the map. Anchored by the fort is a three masted sloop flying the English flag. Depth soundings are illustrated nearby. In the centre of the bay is a coloured compass rose. The verso bears a French heading ‘L’Isle de Minorque en Espagne’, followed by four lines of descriptive text clearly relating to an opposing map of the island of Minorca not present. Although it illustrates the earlier fortification, the map is believed to date from the mid-eighteenth century. Evidence for this is derived from the presence of the British vessel, more likely following Britain’s acquisition of Menorca in 1713. Also, the three masted sloop illustrated first appeared in the 1740s.