The article investigates the rough geographical division of the Southeast Island of Timor made by Portuguese geographers, who distinguish between Servião in the west and Belu (Provincia dos Bellos) in the east. The time frame of the study is the early modern period, from approximately the 16th century to the early 19th century. Discrepancies between the Portuguese and Dutch nomenclatures are pointed out. The term Servião of the Portuguese documents corresponds to Sorbian of the Dutch sources, which is however a minor region in north-western Timor. Belu, on the other hand, in the Portuguese sources excludes Wehali, which in Dutch and traditional sources actually stands out as the navel of the land of the Belunese. The article discusses how the indigenenous geographical concepts were taken over by the respective colonial overlords and given new meanings according to the needs and perceptions of the Portuguese and Dutch.