Massacre after the shipwreck of the Batavia in 1629

Massacre after the shipwreck of the Batavia in 1629.

This plate is an amended copy of an illustration from Francois Pelsaert's 'Ongeluckige Voyagie van 't Schip Batavia.'

This island is referred to as 'Batavia's Kerckhof' (Batavia's Graveyard). Most of the survivors of the shipwreck were washed ashore here, but a shortage of food and water led to conflicts culminating in torture and mass murder.

On the left of the somewhat schematically rendered island three gallows are depicted, while in the foreground centre someone is shown having their hand hacked off.

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