Fragmenten van pijpenkoppen en pijpenstelen uit het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder 't Vliegend Hart Possibly 1700 - 1735

Editor: We're looking at "Fragmenten van pijpenkoppen en pijpenstelen uit het wrak van de Oost-Indi\u00ebvaarder 't Vliegend Hart," dating from approximately 1700 to 1735. They are fragments of ceramic and earthenware pipes salvaged from a shipwreck. They look so fragile, remnants of lives and a particular trade. What story do these remnants tell you? Curator: They tell of global exchange, really. Think of the Dutch East India Company – a massive engine of commerce, and the intense human activity centered around that endeavor. These fragments are humble remnants of an expansive trade network fueled by the burgeoning popularity of tobacco, and what smoking meant within the emerging consumer culture of the 18th century. Editor: So these aren’t just broken pipes, they represent a global market? Curator: Precisely! Their presence in a shipwreck underlines that point dramatically. This was not just a local pastime; it reflects a world being connected through trade routes, colonial endeavors, and evolving social habits. Were these pipes being transported *for* trade, or were they the personal belongings of those on board the ship? Both readings say something. Editor: It's fascinating how something so simple speaks to such broad historical forces. I didn't consider the pipes being part of global commerce. Curator: And think about the lives of those who made, traded, and used these pipes – largely anonymous, but essential cogs in the machine of global trade. What value do we place on such seemingly ordinary artifacts that connect us to this history? Editor: That’s something I’ll definitely keep in mind when considering other art forms from this period.