Future Relics: Creating the archaeological artifacts of the future

In doing so the interactive installation invited visitors to consider the importance of objects, and the stories they tell, in their own lives.

Visitors could choose to respond to the question in Hindi, Marathi or English.

These responses contributed to the design of a growing collection of vases, representing the objects that matter the most to people today.

Did you know?

For centuries, pots have helped us uncover the lost stories of cities and civilisations. They are some of the most prevalent findings on many archaeological sites. Distinct markings often found on ceramic vessels have helped to reveal vital insights into our past and the way we lived.

In the backend Google Translate analysed and translated the words to help group the similar words as entered in Hindi, Marathi and English, transcending language.

Visitors could choose to see the 'connections' they had with other visitors based on the submitted entries in the different languages.

By doing this, the interaction not only explores how objects connect, but also how stories and new meanings can be unlocked when objects are placed in dialogue with one another.

The most popular object that visitors shared was 'Mobile Phone'.

However, there were many unique entries as well, for example 'Tongs'.

The next question was: how to translate these responses into actual physical relics that would contain this shared memory, and could even be dug up by archaeologists a 1000 years from now?

Working with leading 3D printing studio Emerging Objects, the ten most popular responses were translated into a 3D rendering that could then be printed using clay that was handcrafted in Mumbai.

Of over 7000 responses that visitors contributed in the three month duration of the exhibition, the top 10 entries were:

1. Mobile Phone
2. Car
3. Computer
4. Can
5. Book
6. Plastic
7. Utensils
8. Gold
9. Spectacles
10. Soil

A workshop was set up at the museum premises to 3D print the vases based on these responses.

Sudents and visitors were invited see the birth of these physical relics using a very special clay that was handmade by reknowned master ceramics craftsman and a Padma Shri Awardee, Shri Bhrahmdeo Ram Pandit.

Shri Bhrahmdeo Ram Pandit is a master ceramicist. He prepares his own clay carefully in large batches and smoothens the texture out using the help of a pug-mill. The pug-mill clears out the air bubbles within the clay.

For the 'Future Relics' artifacts to be strong and last for years, he contributed his clay to be used in the 3D printer.

Many students lined up curiously to know more about how technology can be used to help create cultural artifacts. Virginia from Emerging Objects explains to them the step-by-step process.

Slowly and steadily all the vases grew layer by layer, each with an imprint of a word that resonated with the people today.

Here you can see the 3D printer at work, finishing up the vase with the word 'Computer' in both English and in Hindi imprinted.

Another top response was 'Utensils'. Here you can see the form in English, and in Marathi - 'Bhaandi'.

In the space of a week, 10 unique future relics were created.

Designer Ronald Rael holds up one of the freshly 3D printed 'Future Relic'.

Shri Bhrahmdeo Ram Pandit is a master ceramicist. He not only prepares his own clay, but also his own glazes carefully and in large batches.

Before proceeding, Shri Brahmdeo Ram Pandit explained in detail the expectations from the different types of clays and glazes. With his years of experience, each step was being consulted with care.

In this photo: Shrimati Devaki Pandit, Shri Brahmdeo Ram Pandit, their son Abhay Pandit, explain to Ronald Rael the different clay and glaze treatments and their results in their large studio.

The fragile air-dried clay vases were transported from the museum to his ceramics studio miles away, to be glazed and fired by him.

Here he gets his hands dirty enthusiastically to glaze the pieces one by one.

The glaze is sprayed over the clay while on a rotating stand so that an even coat is spread and sits into all the crevices.

Ceramics need to be fired and glazed to become strong and lasting.

The air-dried clay is given a primary glaze coat and fired at 1250ºC. The second firing is done at 1150ºC with another coat of glaze.

Each artist has their own formula, and the firing is dependent on the type of clay that is used. It shouldn't be too hot or too cool, otherwise the clay will crack.

Here, Shri BR Pandit opens the firing kiln once cool, to inspect how the vases have turned out.

Here you can see the final glazed and fired 'Future Relics', together a unique expression of the objects that matter most to people today.

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Mobile' (English and Hindi)

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Soil' (English) or 'Maati' (Marathi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Book' (English) or 'Kitaab' (Hindi)

3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Plastic' (English and Hindi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Car' (English) or 'Gaadi' (Hindi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Utensils' (English) or 'Bhaandi' (Marathi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Gold' (English) or 'Sona' (Hindi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Can' (English) or 'Dibde' (Marathi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Spectacles' (English) or 'Chashma' (Hindi).

Detail of 3D printed and glazed vase with the word 'Computer' (English and Hindi).

These ten 'Future Relics' are now housed in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) as a gift for future generations to uncover.