Erosaria spurca shell from the wreck of the Dutch East India ship Witte Leeuw before 1613

Curator: This, believe it or not, is a humble yet extraordinary Erosaria spurca shell. Found on the wreck of the Dutch East India ship, Witte Leeuw. Editor: There’s something quite soothing about its simple form. Like a milky little hill spotted with sun-bleached freckles, lying silently. Curator: Exactly! And dating from before 1613, it’s now carefully preserved in the Rijksmuseum, offering us a tangible link to a specific moment in maritime history. I find myself wondering how something so delicate survived. Editor: Thinking structurally, that ovoid form is fascinating. Notice how its curving arc directs the eye in this subtle, pleasing gyre – nature's own golden ratio, almost! It suggests movement, even when it's still. I think this form suggests potential—or latent power. Curator: A poignant thought, knowing its story. You see, the Witte Leeuw was lost in a fierce battle. It suggests not only the trade of goods but also, darker themes of conflict and loss that are baked into this little thing's pale structure. Editor: Indeed, beyond pure aesthetics, its composition invites speculation on the human dramas that swirled around its origins. What value did it hold then? Was it just ship ballast? And it's also easy to lose sight of the labor in amassing goods like these... Curator: I like to think a sailor picked it up, just like that, from a shore far away…holding it and admiring it. To look at it this way suddenly changes its entire trajectory. This thing reminds me that we need stories to exist. Editor: Well, if this shell is an archive, then form really does follow function – holding stories of trade, strife, survival – encapsulated in this compact little package of aesthetic wonder!