Putting yourself in the place of an archaeologist 2000 years into the future, having just discovered an object without context to its origin or use, write an article to the imaginary Archaeologist Weekly Magazine describing the object’s form and imagined function. Your imagined hypothesis of the object’s function should be based entirely on the form of the object. Your article should explain how the form leads you to this hypothesis, as well as provide an in-depth exploration of the culture that would have used the object. Be creative and have fun imagining an alternative function for the object.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Take a picture of an interesting looking object you use or encounter in your everyday life. Choose an object (big or small) that has an interesting shape.
The more FORM your object has the more interesting your article will be, and easier to write about. Avoid simple shapes like phones and other rectangular electronics.
Imagine this object is discovered when they dig us up 2000 years from now. Invent a creative discovery story. Was the object the only one found – if so why is there only one? Or was it one of the millions found – why are there so many? Was it rare or common?
Using aesthetic analysis, as discussed in our reading, give a thorough description of the object’s sensory properties, its formal properties, and its technical properties. Be overly descriptive. Remember, your object is 2000 years old and no one has seen it before.
Give a descriptive explanation of your found object’s function based on its form. Be creative! Invent an ALTERNATIVE function for the object. Explain how your formal analysis leads you to this imagined function. Don’t choose a toothbrush and say it was for brushing teeth. Again, be creative.
What type of people or culture used the object? Provide details of their day-to-day life as it relates to the object. (Again, be descriptive. After looking at the formal qualities of the object and its function, discuss in detail who would have used the object and why.
Use the following guidelines to help you write your article.
General Introduction
Who you are? Where you were digging/exploring? How was the object discovered?
Object Description (Formal Qualities)
How big is it? Whats it made of? What tactile characteristics does it have? Is it smooth or textured? What color is it? Are there distinguishing marks on the object logos, writing?
Objects Alternative Function What was it used for? What do the colors mean? Does the color help us understand the object’s imagined function? What purpose does the tactile surface serve? Do the distinguishing marks help us understand its imagined function?
Culture What kind of person used the object? Were they rich, poor, middle-class? Why did they need/want to use the object? Was the object rare or in common use?
EXAMPLE For example – if you chose a car tire as your found object, you would describe everything about its form and then imagine what its alternative function would be. Why is it round with a hole in the middle? Why is it black? Why is it made of rubber? What do the words on the side mean? Why are there so many just laying around? Did people worship these? What was the culture like who would have used these?
