This enigmatic triptych displaying a visionary world of bright colors and fantastical creatures has long puzzled scholars. The three panels seem to represent a progression through Christian history: from innocence in the Garden of Eden in the left wing, to worldly and amorous pursuits found in the days of Noah depicted in the center, ending with a scene of Bosch’s own day represented as a hellish nightmare. Bosch’s mysterious personal symbolism is manifested in the bizarre settings, activities and figures, and makes this a unique representation of Paradise, Mortality and Hell. This particular image depicts the top half of the central panel with its display of the frivolous and joyous activities of Adam and Eve’s youthful descendants. The wild procession around the central pond represents a courtship ritual in which excited males on the backs of wild animals flaunt their virility and skills to the maidens waiting in the pond. The inclusion of various beasts accentuates the animal instincts of the participants. In the distance the Fountain of Life is situated between four fantastically decorated floral mountains. The carnal delights manifested in this scene seem to relate to a theme sometimes found in sixteenth-century prints, “Thus it was in the days of Noah,” which related to biblical condemnation of the lustful behavior of mankind prior to the great flood. This apocalyptic overtone is heightened by the appearance of the six figures standing with their backs turned against the sinful proceedings and pointing to their ancestors in the right panel. Some have interpreted Garden of Earthly Delights, with its triptych format, as meant for a religious function and probably a satirical warning against immoral indulgence; however, recent evidence has suggested that it was commissioned by a secular member of the aristocracy and was most likely intended as a novel showpiece to arouse intellectual discussion among guests in the palace of Hendrick III of Nassau.