Brok veen uit of opgedoken bij het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder 't Vliegend Hart before 1600

These are pieces of peat, salvaged from the wreckage of the Dutch East India Company ship, 't Vliegend Hart. The ship sank in 1735 off the coast of Zeeland, and this peat was among the items recovered. These unassuming clods of earth speak volumes about the complex and brutal history of global trade. The Dutch East India Company, a behemoth of its time, epitomized early capitalism's reach and ruthlessness. The ship, laden with goods and people, was a microcosm of colonial ambitions, crossing oceans in search of profit and power. These pieces of peat were likely used for fuel. Envision the lives of the sailors, traders, and possibly enslaved individuals who were on board. Consider the human cost of these ventures: the exploitation of resources, the displacement of populations, and the lives lost at sea. As you gaze upon these fragments, reflect on the weight of history they carry. They are a stark reminder of how the pursuit of wealth has shaped our world.