By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . They share 97 per cent of our DNA, and have expressions and gestures that resemble our own. And this strange depiction of an orangutan nearly 300 years ago reveals just how similar early explorers thought the creatures were to us. The image was uncovered in a rare 1718 first edition of English explorer Daniel Beeckman's 'A Voyage to the and from the Island of Borneo'. The first ever depiction of an Orang Utang seen in the West has been uncovered in a rare 1718 first edition of explorer Daniel Beeckman's 'A Voyage to the and from the Island of Borneo' Captain Beeckman described the animals, known then as 'Oran Ootan', as having 'tolerable good faces and handsomer than some hottentots I have seen'. 'Hottentot' is today understood as an offensive racial term. Captain Beeckman, like the European immigrants who came up with the name, was referring to the Khoikhoi people of southwestern Africa. The term was coined by imitating of the sound of the people's language. The explorer sailed to Borneo in the 'Eagle Galley' in 1713 describing it as 'the greatest island of all the Indian seas.' He claims the orangutans are very nimble footed and able to throw stones and sticks at anyone who offended them. Captain Beeckman described the orangutans (left), known then as 'Oran Ootan', as having 'tolerable good faces and handsomer than some hottentots I have seen'. The comments were made in a rare 1718 first edition of 'A Voyage to the Island of Borneo' Orangutans are born with an ability to reason and think. This large, gentle red ape is one of humankind’s closest relatives, sharing 97 per cent of the same DNA. Orangutans have four fingers and an opposable thumb on their hands. Unlike us, their arms are twice as long as their legs. An adult orangutan's arms can be well over 6ft (2 metres) from fingertip to fingertip to help them swing from tree to tree. As . well as being strong, orangutans are long-lived and have an average . lifespan of 35-40 years in the wild and up to 50 years or more in . captivity. The native . Indonesian Dayaks' myth suggested that orangutans are people who hid in . the trees. The name ‘orangutan’ means ‘people of the forest’ in the . Dayak language. ‘The natives do really believe that these were formally men, but metamorphosed into beasts for their blasphemy,’ Captain Beeckman said. During his adventures, Captain Beeckman purchased a young orangutan which a fondness for alcohol. ‘I bought one out of curiosity for six Spanish dollars,’ he said. ‘It lived with me seven months. ‘I shall only tell you that he was a great thief and loved strong liquors; for it our backs were turned, he would be at the punch-bowl, and very often would open the brandy case, take out a bottle, drink plentifully, and put it very carefully into its place again. Captain Beeckman published the book in 1718 to try to advance his ideas on trade with the exotic land. In the 17th and 18th centuries, most authors had never seen an animal from the great ape species. Carl Linnaue, a Swedish naturalist and inventor of the internationally-accepted system of scientific naming of animals, famously got his facts wrong about orangutans. Captain Beeckman published the book in 1718 to try to advance his ideas on trade with the exotic. Pictured is a map of Borneo published in the book . In his ‘System of Nature’, published in 1758, Linnaue wrote the species believed the Earth was made for it, and that it will someday be master of it again. He describes the animals as ‘body white, walks erect, less than half our size. Hair white, frizzled. Eyes orbicular; iris and pupils golden. Vision lateral, nocturnal. Life-space twenty-five years…speaks in a hiss.’ Orangutans are born with an ability to reason and think. Today we know this large, gentle ape is one of humankind’s closest relatives. Orangutans have four fingers and an opposable thumb on their hands. Unlike us, their arms are twice as long as their legs, however. An adult orangutan's arms can be well over 6ft (2 metres) from fingertip to fingertip to help them swing from tree to tree. As well as being strong, orangutans are long-lived and have an average lifespan of 35-40 years in the wild and up to 50 years or more in captivity. The native Indonesian Dayaks' myth suggested that orangutans are people who hid in the trees. The name ‘orangutan’ means ‘people of the forest’ in the Dayak language. Orangutans are born with an ability to reason and think. This large, gentle red ape is one of humankind's closest relatives, sharing 97 per cent of the same DNA .
The .
image was uncovered in a rare 1718 first edition of explorer Daniel .
Beeckman's 'A Voyage to the and from the Island of Borneo'
Explorer describes owning a pet orangutan with a fondness for alcohol .
Writes that the creatures had 'tolerable good faces' and were 'handsome'
By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . They share 97 per cent of our DNA, and have expressions and gestures that resemble our own. And this strange depiction of an orangutan nearly 300 years ago reveals just how similar early explorers thought the creatures were to us. The image was uncovered in a rare 1718 first edition of English explorer Daniel Beeckman's 'A Voyage to the and from the Island of Borneo'. The first ever depiction of an Orang Utang seen in the West has been uncovered in a rare 1718 first edition of explorer Daniel Beeckman's 'A Voyage to the and from the Island of Borneo' Captain Beeckman described the animals, known then as 'Oran Ootan', as having 'tolerable good faces and handsomer than some hottentots I have seen'. 'Hottentot' is today understood as an offensive racial term. Captain Beeckman, like the European immigrants who came up with the name, was referring to the Khoikhoi people of southwestern Africa. The term was coined by imitating of the sound of the people's language. The explorer sailed to Borneo in the 'Eagle Galley' in 1713 describing it as 'the greatest island of all the Indian seas.' He claims the orangutans are very nimble footed and able to throw stones and sticks at anyone who offended them. Captain Beeckman described the orangutans (left), known then as 'Oran Ootan', as having 'tolerable good faces and handsomer than some hottentots I have seen'. The comments were made in a rare 1718 first edition of 'A Voyage to the Island of Borneo' Orangutans are born with an ability to reason and think. This large, gentle red ape is one of humankind’s closest relatives, sharing 97 per cent of the same DNA. Orangutans have four fingers and an opposable thumb on their hands. Unlike us, their arms are twice as long as their legs. An adult orangutan's arms can be well over 6ft (2 metres) from fingertip to fingertip to help them swing from tree to tree. As . well as being strong, orangutans are long-lived and have an average . lifespan of 35-40 years in the wild and up to 50 years or more in . captivity. The native . Indonesian Dayaks' myth suggested that orangutans are people who hid in . the trees. The name ‘orangutan’ means ‘people of the forest’ in the . Dayak language. ‘The natives do really believe that these were formally men, but metamorphosed into beasts for their blasphemy,’ Captain Beeckman said. During his adventures, Captain Beeckman purchased a young orangutan which a fondness for alcohol. ‘I bought one out of curiosity for six Spanish dollars,’ he said. ‘It lived with me seven months. ‘I shall only tell you that he was a great thief and loved strong liquors; for it our backs were turned, he would be at the punch-bowl, and very often would open the brandy case, take out a bottle, drink plentifully, and put it very carefully into its place again. Captain Beeckman published the book in 1718 to try to advance his ideas on trade with the exotic land. In the 17th and 18th centuries, most authors had never seen an animal from the great ape species. Carl Linnaue, a Swedish naturalist and inventor of the internationally-accepted system of scientific naming of animals, famously got his facts wrong about orangutans. Captain Beeckman published the book in 1718 to try to advance his ideas on trade with the exotic. Pictured is a map of Borneo published in the book . In his ‘System of Nature’, published in 1758, Linnaue wrote the species believed the Earth was made for it, and that it will someday be master of it again. He describes the animals as ‘body white, walks erect, less than half our size. Hair white, frizzled. Eyes orbicular; iris and pupils golden. Vision lateral, nocturnal. Life-space twenty-five years…speaks in a hiss.’ Orangutans are born with an ability to reason and think. Today we know this large, gentle ape is one of humankind’s closest relatives. Orangutans have four fingers and an opposable thumb on their hands. Unlike us, their arms are twice as long as their legs, however. An adult orangutan's arms can be well over 6ft (2 metres) from fingertip to fingertip to help them swing from tree to tree. As well as being strong, orangutans are long-lived and have an average lifespan of 35-40 years in the wild and up to 50 years or more in captivity. The native Indonesian Dayaks' myth suggested that orangutans are people who hid in the trees. The name ‘orangutan’ means ‘people of the forest’ in the Dayak language. Orangutans are born with an ability to reason and think. This large, gentle red ape is one of humankind's closest relatives, sharing 97 per cent of the same DNA .
were to us. The image was uncovered in a rare Beeckman's 'A Voyage to the and from the Island rare 1718 first edition of explorer Daniel 'tolerable good faces and handsomer than some which a fondness for alcohol. ‘I bought one out