Kaart van de tocht van de Israëlieten 1700

Dirk Janszoon van Santen created this map of the Israelites' journey. Observe the serpent-like path winding through the desert landscape. This motif, present from antiquity, embodies the journey, fraught with trials. Serpents often symbolize transformation, as they shed their skin, an analogy for the Israelites' spiritual rebirth. Consider the serpent in other contexts, from the caduceus of Hermes, a symbol of medicine and commerce, to its association with temptation in the Garden of Eden. These disparate associations reflect the symbol's inherent ambiguity and the complexities of the human experience. Here, the serpent's path echoes a collective memory, a subconscious recognition of life's arduous, cyclical nature. It serves as a powerful reminder that journeys of transformation are rarely linear, instead twisting and turning across time.