Porcelain and pepper from the VOC trading ship the Witte Leeuw

The Dutch East India Company (VOC) brought costly Asian goods to the Netherlands. Sometimes a ship would sink underway, as did the Witte Leeuw in 1613. In addition to porcelain – intact pieces as well as shards – the remains of a load of pepper were recovered in 1976. Some pieces of porcelain have fused together with pieces of wreckage and the seabed. The delicate white wine cup became attached to a piece of iron among the shells.

De Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) bracht kostbare Aziatische goederen naar Nederland. Soms verging er onderweg een schip, zoals de Witte Leeuw in 1613. In 1976 werden behalve porselein – gave stukken en scherven – ook restanten van de lading peper geborgen.
Sommige stukken porselein ...