Clock and gunpowder horn c. 1590 - 1596

This clock and gunpowder horn was anonymously made, its date of creation lost to time. Consider this object as a relic of a past filled with military conflict and colonial expansion. It speaks to the historical context when gunpowder was a key element in warfare and societal control. As an object of utility, it transcends simple categorization, embodying the entanglement of time, violence, and perhaps even survival. The integration of a clock function into a tool of war provokes contemplation on the role of time in military strategy. This also touches upon the broader implications of timekeeping during an era defined by exploration, conquest, and the imposition of European dominance. What narratives remain untold when an object like this lacks a known maker, reminding us to reflect on the countless untold stories of individuals whose labor and lives were intertwined with instruments of conflict?