Timecapsule - 10 things to put in.
If you were to bury a time capsule what would you put in it?
This thought was bought on while researching old Celtic, Egyptian and Viking burials where the hero of the hour was sent to the next life with the things dear to him and objects that would be needed. They would traditionally include things like food, weapons, a loved animal and his slaves.
I remember a lecture when I was at ArtCollege where the tutor convinced us of how a 1960’s Café bar of the period could quite easily be confused with a temple to some sun god if it was discovered intact 500 years down the line. Large pictures of sun kissed Mediterranean beaches, overly large drinking goblets, and grand marble sacrificial counter for worship. How would our life’s necessities be viewed.
These are the ten things I will need in the afterlife:
- CD – Led Zeppelin III, in 1981 I was hitching around mid Wales and just outside Mychynleth, I found Bron yr Aur, the cottage where the album was recorded.
- Book – The Robert Crumb Diary, 60‘s underground cartoonist. Filthy, totally unpolitically correct but funny as anything.
- Food - Tin of Heinz Baked Beans, good for any meal. Full English breakfast, on toast for lunch or in a chilli at teatime, good all rounder.
- Clothes - I Chang Beer T-shirt from Honk Kong, looks vintage even now.
- Photo of the family.
- Drink – Bottle of Mount Gay Rum, too cool for school.
- Hat – Straw Panama, keep you shaded in the summer and warm in the winter.
- Cup - Big Welsh Dragon Mug, it holds a lot of tea and reminds me of home still.
- DVD – Hedd Wyn, 1992, excellent Oscar nominated, Welsh language film, about the life of the war poet Ellis Evans.
- A rugby ball, everyone loves a kick around.
- Comb and shaving razor, you should always make a bit of an effort.
It was a tricky call but I feel confidant that with these possession I could be happy. The films and CD were difficult choices, Rolling Stones, Floyd or The Police could have easily been in there. Music and Lyrics, Withnail and I or Starwars, these movies I enjoy watching again and again. Perhaps my childhood collection of Afrika Corps soldiers would have been of use, like the Xi’an Terracotta Army. Maybe a Mini Cooper for transport would be useful, Tutankhamun had a chariot with him.
What would you have in your time capsule?
