Piktouw in kluwen-vorm c. 1590 - 1596

This small ball, known as "Piktouw in kluwen-vorm", resides in the Rijksmuseum, its maker unknown. It’s a ball of piktouw, a rope used on ships, measuring only a few inches across. Imagine the hands that crafted this object, the daily lives of those who used it. Who was the anonymous artisan? The piktouw represents the labor, the journeys, and the countless untold stories of seafarers. This small object can be seen as a symbol of connection and trade, but also of displacement, and the often brutal realities of maritime life. The tangled form of the piktouw perhaps reflects the complex, intertwined nature of these narratives. The ropes are intertwined, and so are the histories of the people connected to it. It is a reminder of the human cost, the lives woven into the fabric of exploration, and the open sea.