Fragment van een pijpenkop uit het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder 't Vliegend Hart Possibly 1700 - 1735

Editor: We're looking at a "Fragment van een pijpenkop uit het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder 't Vliegend Hart"—a fragment of a pipe bowl from the wreck of the East Indiaman 't Vliegend Hart'—dating possibly from 1700 to 1735. It's ceramic and categorized as a found object. I find it evocative despite its simplicity, like a whisper from the past. What catches your eye about this seemingly ordinary object? Curator: Well, it’s more than an object, isn’t it? It’s a fragment carrying the weight of a lost world. Consider the image: white ceramic, broken, suggesting fragility and the relentless power of the sea. What does that colour say to you about the original intent, or the trade itself? Editor: I guess white suggests purity or maybe even luxury. But the brokenness contradicts that. Was this kind of pipe common? Curator: These weren’t luxury items per se, but widely used, deeply symbolic, particularly for sailors and those involved in maritime trade. Smoking tobacco, especially in communal settings like a ship, created a shared experience. Think about what smoking rituals might have represented – camaraderie, a brief escape, marking time, all amplified in the confined space of a ship at sea. The very act of smoking, inhaling something from far away places, linked individuals to a broader global network. Editor: That’s fascinating. So even broken, it symbolizes connection. Curator: Precisely. Its survival as a found object also shifts the context, right? It’s no longer part of a daily ritual, but now embodies memory. Do you think the act of unearthing and preserving objects changes what symbols it can reflect? Editor: I think it adds another layer – a symbol of historical discovery and our need to connect with the past. It definitely changes my perspective on seeing this broken piece. Thanks. Curator: It shows how potent ordinary items can become over time through the process of continued symbolic engagement and our conscious choice to relate to history.