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

This fragment of a human skull is from the wreckage of the Dutch East India ship, the Hollandia. While we don't know the identity of the person whose skull this once was, we can imagine him as part of the complex social structure of the 18th-century maritime world. The ship would have been a microcosm of society, with clear hierarchies based on rank, skill, and origin. Sailors, often from diverse backgrounds, lived and worked in close quarters. Their lives were dictated by the ship's purpose, be it trade, exploration, or war. Consider the lives of the sailors and others on board. What were their hopes, their fears, and their dreams? How did the realities of life at sea shape their identities and relationships? This skull fragment connects us to a larger narrative about the human cost of maritime exploration and trade, and invites us to reflect on the lives of those who crossed the oceans in pursuit of new horizons.