Can soil transform from a mere container into the focal artefact?

NON-DESTRUCTIVE ARTEFACTS #4

Filippo Maria Ciriani

NON-DESTRUCTIVE ARTEFACTS #4 is a DIY soil kit that aims to rethink traditional archaeology dissemination. It explores the possibility of soil transforming from a mere container into a focal artifact. Users can replicate the iconic Rosetta Stone using a silicone mold, neo-soil, and an informative booklet, delving into the historical displacement of the original piece, now housed in the British Museum. Notably, the kit concludes with a call to action – urging users to sign a petition for the return of the Rosetta Stone to Egypt, aligning with the broader project's aim to question the role of archaeology’s institutions and ownership.

A project made in the course

Findings On Soil

Life on earth depends on healthy soils. As part of hands-on materials education, young Eco-Social Design students at the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano explored soil as a do-it-yourself material for art, design and architecture. Through practical exercises and guest workshops we examined its properties, everyday uses, and future possiblities. Collaborating with the BITZ unibz fablab, a community workshop for hobbyists, researchers and students based in Bolzano, we developed experimental kits to (re)connect and engage people with soil.
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