Plan of the City of Rome. Part 7 with a Dedication to Camillo Pamphili, the Vatican and Part of the City Wall 1645

Antonio Tempesta created this print of the city of Rome, offering a bird's-eye view of its architecture, including a dedication to Camillo Pamphili. Note the obelisk in the lower center, a symbol laden with historical and cultural significance. Originally erected in ancient Egypt as a tribute to the sun god Ra, obelisks were appropriated by the Roman Empire, then by the Catholic Church. As Rome became the heart of the Christian world, these ancient monoliths were re-contextualized, often topped with a cross, to symbolize the triumph of Christianity over paganism. Think of the obelisk as a signifier of power, each culture imprinting its own narrative upon it. This act of cultural layering, of adapting and adopting symbols, reveals our deep-seated need to connect with the past while simultaneously reshaping it to suit our present. The obelisk in Tempesta's print serves as a silent witness to the cyclical nature of history.