Spiral of Fire on the Temple of Caracol

The ceremonial temple of Caracol at Montegrande in Jaen (Peru) has been discovered in 2010 by Quirino Olivera, during excavations and shows a spiral path turning inward, like the shell of a snail ("Caracol" in Spanish). The spiral as a symbol of life and regeneration is a recurrent element of Andean ceremonial architecture since its beginnings.
The image was taken at night with the help of an indigenous worker who re-traced the spiral of the temple with a fire torch, as if recalling the rituals once held within the temple. With this esthetic effect Heinz Plenge offers a reflection on the dichotomies of birth and death, day and night, and water and fire.