A Well by the Seaside, Langland Bay, Swansea, Wales c. 1854

This unassuming photograph captures a well by the seaside in Langland Bay, Swansea, by Charles Henry Waring. Here, water, the very essence of life, is drawn from the earth, mirroring ancient rituals where wells were not merely sources of water but also sacred portals, gateways to the underworld, or fonts of healing. Think of the nymph-inhabited springs of classical antiquity, their waters believed to possess divine properties. The well, a recurring symbol in art and myth, embodies purity, renewal, and hidden depths. This image reminds us of the cyclical nature of existence, the ebb and flow, the seen and unseen. It's a potent emblem of our deepest yearnings and fears, reflecting the collective unconscious.