Hartog Plate, Archaeological artifact at Cape Inscription, Dirk Hartog Island, Australia
The Hartog Plate is a metal object with an engraved inscription left by a Dutch naval expedition in the early 1600s. It carries the expedition leader's name and information about the ship and crew members who made this voyage.
A Dutch captain left the object on Australia's western coast in 1616 to mark the arrival of his vessel. Around 80 years later, another Dutch seafarer found it, placed a replacement, and carried the original back to Europe.
The plate marks one of the earliest physical connections between European seafarers and Australian shores through a simple metal object. It reminds visitors how people from distant lands first documented their presence in this region.
The original piece is housed in a museum in Amsterdam where visitors can see it. Replica versions stand at the original site on the cape for those who visit the location.
The metal object was initially lost during voyage and later rediscovered by chance on the same coastline years afterward. This unexpected recovery transformed it into a surprising connection between two different periods of seafaring history.
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