Piramide van Cestius en de Porta San Paolo te Rome before 1907

This photograph by Edizione Brogi captures the Piramide di Cestio and Porta San Paolo in Rome. The pyramid, an ancient tomb, evokes the allure of Egypt, a land of mystery and death. Consider how the pyramid form, originally a symbol of divine power and resurrection in ancient Egypt, appears here, repurposed in the heart of Rome. It’s a telling example of cultural appropriation, or perhaps, a deep, subconscious yearning for the eternal. This shape, this primal form, taps into our collective memory, resurfacing in Masonic symbolism, modern architecture, and even popular culture. What suppressed desires or cultural anxieties does this enduring symbol continue to project? The photograph invites us to contemplate the cyclical nature of symbols. Their meanings are never fixed, but continually evolve, reflecting the complex interplay between past and present, conscious and unconscious.