Vuursteen zakpistool before 1688

This is a pocket pistol made from steel and brass, crafted by Jan Flock, who died in 1688. Consider the historical context of this firearm, which was made at a time when the Dutch Republic was a major power in global trade and colonialism. The pistol would have been a tool of power, both symbolic and real, for those who carried it. As we know, the Dutch were deeply involved in the transatlantic slave trade. This weapon represents the violence that was enacted to dominate people both near and far from the Netherlands. The small size of this flintlock suggests it was meant to be concealed, perhaps as a means of self-defense or maybe for more nefarious purposes. It's not just an object, but evidence of human intention, and in this case, it forces us to reckon with complex questions about power, violence, and identity in the early modern world.