Gezicht op een strand aan de noordkant van Komo before 1899

This photograph by W. McM. Woodworth captures a beach on the north shore of Komo, showcasing its natural coral reefs. These formations, stark against the sea, evoke a sense of primordial strength, much like the stones found in ancient Cyclopean masonry. Consider how the arrangement of these reefs mirrors the deliberate placement of stones in Mycenaean citadels. In both, we see a human engagement with nature, shaping and defining space. But where the Mycenaeans sought to control and defend, here, nature displays its own architecture. The coral, once vibrant and teeming with life, now stands as a bleached monument. This transformation echoes the alchemical process of nigredo, a symbolic death that precedes rebirth. It reminds us that nature, like human civilization, undergoes cycles of decay and renewal, leaving behind traces of past vitality. The emotional weight of this image lies in its subtle revelation of time's relentless march.