Marine geweer gemerkt A MIDDELBURA c. 1400 - 1950

This marine rifle marked 'A Middelburg' was created by I. Rovart. In the historical context of naval power and colonial expansion, this rifle evokes the narratives of exploration, conflict, and control. Middelburg was a prominent city within the Dutch Republic and held a significant role in the Dutch East India Company. Weapons, such as this rifle, were instruments of power but they were also symbols of cultural exchange. This rifle embodies the complexities of identity and history. For those who wielded it, it represented authority and dominance. However, for those who faced it, it symbolized subjugation and loss. It encourages us to reflect on the human impact of colonialism and the narratives of those often marginalized.