The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, 1620 1869

Joseph Andrews created this engraving titled "The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, 1620," capturing the moment of arrival with figures battling the elements, guided by faith. Note the man standing with his arm raised towards the sky: it's not merely a gesture of arrival. Consider this pose as a variation of the "Adlocutio," a gesture of address and command used by Roman emperors, later adopted in Christian iconography to depict divine guidance. This symbol transcends its origins, morphing into a visual cue that embodies leadership, divine sanction, and hope. The collective memory embedded in gestures carries a psychological weight. The raised arm, echoing across epochs, triggers subconscious associations with authority and hope, crucial for a group facing an uncertain future. Even the turbulent sea acts as a symbol of psychological distress, reflecting the immense uncertainty that the group is about to face. These symbols and gestures resurface and evolve through time, influencing our collective consciousness.