Gezicht op de oude vestingmuur te Maastricht 1893

This image captures an old fortification wall in Maastricht, in a photograph of unknown date. The wall, a powerful symbol of protection, immediately brings to mind the ancient Roman "castrum," a military camp whose square layout and fortified walls spoke of order and defense. Notice how the walls extend and curve, adapting to the landscape, much like the protective lavers of animal skin during ancient rituals. Similarly, the walls of Jericho—as depicted in countless Renaissance frescoes—represent not just physical barriers, but also the psychological and spiritual defenses of a community. Consider also the Tower of Babel, another monument intended to safeguard and protect. Across time and cultures, such structures express humankind's deep-seated need for security, a need rooted in our earliest memories. Here, in Maastricht, these sturdy stone walls, mirrored in the still water, evoke a sense of enduring strength, embodying both physical and psychological resilience. The collective memory embedded in these stones speaks volumes.