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

This is an Erosaria spurca shell recovered from the wreck of the Dutch East India ship Witte Leeuw. The ship sank in 1613, off the coast of St. Helena. This unassuming object offers a lens onto the complex networks of global trade. These trading routes were built on colonial exploitation and transformed our understanding of the world. Cowry shells like this one were among the many items traded. They were frequently used as a form of currency in the slave trade. As such, they have become a potent symbol of the commodification of human life. This shell is more than a relic; it’s a testament to the lives touched and irrevocably altered by early global trade. Consider the countless human stories intertwined with this seemingly simple object, from the sailors aboard the Witte Leeuw to the communities disrupted by its trade. It stands as a reminder of the enduring legacies of colonialism.