Maps are powerful tools that are influenced by political considerations and document specific moments in time and space. They selectively include information to serve particular purposes, reflecting the mapmaker's objectives and biases. This selectivity means that some human settlements may be omitted due to their political importance or insignificance.

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Despite their limitations, maps capture historical contexts and can retell the story of the places they depict, revealing insights into the era's geography, politics, and culture. They also serve as storytelling tools, highlighting certain aspects while omitting others, which can shape perceptions and influence narratives.

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Understanding the curated nature of maps helps us critically engage with how the world is represented and the underlying power dynamics involved in map-making.

The maps in this gallery show the changes in Khartoum under the different governments and in different periods of time, not just showing the events but also the viewpoints and interests of these governments. Take note of the fortifications in these maps, the fort on the western side of the river is the only structure that is recorded in maps dated back to the 19th century even though there were several human settlements at the time, same with the Khartoum wall that since its construction was a key feature even after it was destroyed as you can see in current planning of the city.

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Image credits:

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Khartum in 1840 showing the trading route from Omdurman, Published in Henri Dehérain: Le Soudan égyptien sous Mehemet Ali, Paris, Georges Carré et C. Naud, Éditeurs, 1898.

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Khartoum in 1876 Plan von Chartum und Umgebung. Published in Dr. Wilh. Junkers Reisen in Afrika, 1875-1886 ... nach seinen tagebüchern unter der mitwirkung / von Wilhelm Junker, unter der Mitwirkung von Richard Buchta, Wien: Ed. Hölzel, 1889-1891. Band I, Tafel 4. Gallica.

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Khartoum in 1884 drawn from rough sketches made by General Gordon, Published in The journals of Major-Gen. C. G. Gordon, C. B., at Khartoum. Printed from the original mss. Introduction and Notes by A. Egmont Hake. Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1885.

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Khartoum in 1890, Confluence of the two Niles showing old Omdurman town and key geographic monuments, 1890, published in the book Africa by Reclus, Elisée, 1830-1905.

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The siege of Khartoum, “La chute de Khartoum”. Plan compiled by the "defense" in the court-martial held in June 1887 from the statements of witnesses of the siege in 1884-1885. Published in Mahdiism and the Egyptian Sudan, by F. R. Wingate. London, MacMillian and Co., 1891.

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Khartoum 1896 Image extracted from page 701 of  Fire and Sword in the Sudan. A personal narrative of life during Mahdiya. 1879-1895, by SLATIN, Rudolf Carl - Sir, K.C.M.G. Originally held and digitised by the British Library.

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Khartoum 1906 (post-conquest) Provisional map of Khartoum city compiled for use of the Khartoum Mudiria by Lieut. Colonel E.A. Stanton, Governor Khartoum Province. Via: American Geographical Society Library.

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Khartoum 1952 published by the Sudan Survey Department. Via: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, Stanford Libraries - Stanford, California, USA.

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Khartoum 1970s, 1:5000 published by the Sudan Survey Department.

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Khartum 1974, Sudan, provint︠s︡ii︠a︡ Khartum / Generalʹnyĭ shtab, published by the Soviet Union. Sovetskai︠a︡ Armii︠a︡. Generalʹnyĭ shtab, Moscow. Via: National Library of Australia - Canberra, Australia.

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Cover picture © Zainab Gaafar