Twee aanzichten van de draaier uit de wervelkolom van een oeros before 1869

This illustration presents two views of the axis vertebra from an aurochs—a primordial ancestor of modern cattle. Even in its stark, skeletal form, the vertebra echoes motifs found throughout human art and symbolism. Consider the bull, which for millennia has been a symbol of power, virility, and sacrifice, from the Minoan frescoes of Knossos to the sacrificial bulls of Mithraic rituals. Here, the vertebra becomes more than just bone; it is a relic imbued with the ancient, visceral power of the aurochs. We see this echoed in the bullfights of Spain, and in the veneration of cattle in ancient India. These images are non-linear. They resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts, reminding us of the primal forces that continue to shape human culture and subconscious. The axis, that pivotal point of the spine, becomes a potent symbol of strength and continuity.