Pragmatia Phonologia peractae in monte S. Eustachy

Three figures stand atop a rocky peak near the Church of Santa Maria di Monterella, aiming massive sound-amplifying tubes toward various hilltop villages. Lines radiate across the landscape to indicate the distance in miles to each destination, such as Siciliano and San Vito. A central cloud-like shape labeled 'La Lagna' visualizes the propagation and echo of sound waves across the valley.

This image illustrates Athanasius Kircher's research into acoustics, or 'phonurgia,' as presented in his 1671 work 'Latium.' It reflects the 17th-century transition from Renaissance natural magic to empirical natural philosophy, attempting to quantify and manipulate the hidden laws of sound and communication.