a : the path of a point in a plane moving around a central point while continuously receding from or approaching it
b : a single turn or coil in a spiral object
(verb) : winding around a center or pole and gradually receding from or approaching it
The spiral is one of the oldest geometric shapes found in the ancient world – petroglyphs of the symbols date back to the Neolithic period, and they are one of the most common patterns in nature, found in the path of draining water or the eye of a hurricane.
There are various types, such as the logarithmic spiral, first described by Albrecht Durer in 1525; the Archimedean spiral, so called after the 3rd-Century BC Greek mathematician; Fermat's spiral; the helix and the vortex, to name a few. They're prevalent in man-made structures in art, design and architecture, both secular and sacred – such as the 9th-Century Great Mosque of Samarra or the Vatican Museum's spiral staircase.
