Resten van een brug over de Rio Movene in Mozambique c. 1889 - 1895

This photograph, taken in 1889 by Manuel Romão Pereira, captures the remnants of a bridge over the Rio Movene in Mozambique, ravaged by floods. The bridge, a symbol of connection and passage, stands now as a ruin. Ruins carry a powerful weight. Consider the Roman aqueducts, once vital arteries of civilization, now haunting relics across Europe. The image of collapse holds within it not just destruction, but also resilience and the promise of renewal. Floods, historically, have been viewed with both fear and reverence, a destructive force but also a cleansing one, capable of reshaping the landscape. The bridge, in its broken state, evokes the cyclical nature of civilization—rise, fall, and the inevitable rebirth. The image touches our collective memory, stirring subconscious associations of impermanence. It reminds us that even the most solid structures are subject to the relentless forces of nature and time. In the end, these ruins do not only depict destruction but also echo an untold story of the passage of time.