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Primary sourceArtifactc. 1493

Sketch of Northwest Hispaniola Coast

Anonymous, possibly Christopher Columbus or a crew member · c. 1493

A hand-drawn coastal sketch possibly made by Columbus or a crew member during his first voyage.

This sketch may have been drawn by Columbus himself or his crew during his first voyage, documenting the coast he explored.

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Hand-drawn sketch in brown ink on aged paper showing a coastline outline of Hispaniola, with labels including 'la Española', 'Monte Cristi', 'Cuba' partially visible, and place names along the northwest coast. Dark stains and a fold line are visible.
Anonymous, possibly Christopher Columbus or crew, Sketch of Northwest Hispaniola Coast, c. 1493.

About this source

What it is

This is a hand-drawn ink sketch showing the northwest coast of Hispaniola, the island now divided between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. It dates from around 1493 and may have been drawn by Christopher Columbus himself or by another member of his crew near the end of his first voyage to the Indies.

Why it matters

Maps like this were essential tools for navigators recording new coastlines. If made by Columbus or his crew, it offers a rare glimpse of how early European explorers documented unfamiliar land as they encountered it, including place names they gave or recorded.

Look closer

  • What details on the sketch suggest it was made quickly, perhaps at sea?
  • Why is the exact author of this sketch uncertain?
  • What might this sketch leave out about the people already living on this coast?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Christopher Columbus on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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