Hoorn van een oeros before 1869

This is an image of an aurochs horn, created by an anonymous artist. Aurochs were a species of wild cattle that once roamed Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and they hold a prominent place in human history and cultural memory. We know of the aurochs through prehistoric cave paintings, ancient texts, and archaeological finds. It's a representation laden with meaning, symbolizing both the power and the vulnerability of nature, and its eventual extinction due to hunting and habitat loss marks a profound loss of biodiversity. This image of the aurochs horn carries a trace of that lost world. It invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, and the consequences of our actions on the environment and the species that inhabit it. How do we balance our needs with the preservation of biodiversity?