Fragment menselijke schedel uit het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder Hollandia before 1748

This fragment of a human skull comes from the wreck of the Dutch East India ship Hollandia. The ship sank in 1724 off the Isles of Scilly, taking with it the lives of over 200 souls. The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a powerful entity in the 17th and 18th centuries. It controlled trade routes, established colonies, and wielded immense political influence. But this power came at a steep human cost. Consider the life of the person to whom this skull belonged. Was he a sailor, a soldier, or a merchant? What were his dreams, his fears, his hopes for the future? We can only imagine the stories of those who perished on the Hollandia, their identities now lost to time. This small fragment serves as a poignant reminder of the human lives behind the history of trade and exploration. It’s a tangible link to the past, inviting us to reflect on the complexities of history.