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==Later time capsules inspired by The Crypt of Civilization==
==Later time capsules inspired by The Crypt of Civilization==
The Crypt of Civilization intrigued America and was replicated by many others. In the mid-1930s, [[George Edward Pendray]], a [[public relations]] executive, created the [[Westinghouse Time Capsules|Westinghouse time capsule]] for a public ceremony for the [[1939 New York World's Fair|1939–40 New York World's Fair]], in order to raise awareness of his company's repository vault. The rocket-shaped vessel, with a {{convert|7|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} exterior made from the metal alloy [[cupaloy]], contained a [[Pyrex]] inner tube in which articles were placed.<ref name="crypt3"/> Pendray’s design was originally called a "time bomb", but the name was later changed to avoid an association with warfare. Pendray chose the name "time capsule" as it encapsulated within a container man-made objects and was intended to be opened in 61 centuries.<ref name="crypt3"/><ref name="crypt1"/>
The Crypt of Civilization intrigued America and was replicated by many others. In the mid-1930s, [[George Edward Pendray]], a [[public relations]] executive, created the [[Westinghouse Time Capsules|Westinghouse time capsule]] for a public ceremony for the [[1939 New York World's Fair|1939–40 New York World's Fair]], in order to raise awareness of his company's repository vault. The rocket-shaped vessel, with a {{convert|7|ft|m|adj=mid|-long}} exterior made from the metal alloy [[cupaloy]], contained a [[Pyrex]] inner tube in which articles were placed.<ref name="crypt3"/> Pendray’s design was originally called a "time bomb", but the name was later changed to avoid an association with warfare. Pendray chose the name "time capsule" as it encapsulated within a container man-made objects and was intended to be opened in 61 centuries.<ref name="crypt3"/><ref name="crypt1"/>

Westinghouse made two time capsules for different world's fairs at different times. They were both placed fifty feet below [[Flushing Meadows–Corona Park]], the site of the fairs. Time Capsule I was created for the 1939 New York World's Fair and Time Capsule II was created for the [[1964 New York World's Fair]]. The second capsule is placed ten feet north of the first capsule. The capsules are filled with physical objects of that time period of social and scientific interest. They are to be opened at the same time in the year of [[7th millennium|6939]] A. D.{{sfn|Westinghouse|1938|page=6}}


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 21:20, 10 February 2021

Crypt of Civilization interior, photographed in 1939 prior to sealing

The Crypt of Civilization is a sealed, airtight chamber, built between 1937 and 1940 at the Oglethorpe University in Brookhaven, Georgia, in Metro Atlanta. The 2,000-cubic-foot (57 m3) vault is intended to be opened in AD 8113 and contains numerous artifacts, photographs and sound recordings that illustrate early 20th century life. Classic literature and religious texts were also deposited, as well as items showing the extent of scientific progress to 1939.

The Crypt was the first successful attempt to create a time capsule of contemporary cultural objects. Thornwell Jacobs, the initiator of the project, was inspired by the lack of historical information available from the opening of Egyptian pyramids.

Beginnings

Thornwell Jacobs (1877–1956), the President of Oglethorpe University from 1915 to 1944, is considered the 'Father of the Modern Time Capsule' by historian Paul Stephen Hudson.[1] Jacobs was inspired by the Egyptian pyramid and tomb openings in the 1920s and was amazed by the lack of historical information available from these ancient civilizations. He imagined a current events story of the customs of people's manners, customs, and knowledge acquired for the previous 6,000 years.[2] During the early 20th century, the earliest historical recorded date was thought to be 4241 BC (a claim that has since been discredited). In 1936, Jacobs calculated that 6,177 years had passed and proposed the creation of a Crypt of Civilization, to be opened in AD 8113 after another 6,177 years.[3][4]

Construction

The Crypt of Civilization was constructed in a former swimming pool in the basement of the Phoebe Hearst Memorial Hall,[5], a Gothic-style academic building at Oglethorpe University, dating from 1915.[6] The airtight chamber, measuring 20 ft (6.1 m) long, 10 ft (3.0 m) high and 10 ft (3.0 m) wide, was built between 1937 and 1940.[7] It sits on a stone floor, 3 ft (0.91 m) thick, and has a stone roof 7 ft (2.1 m) thick.[8] The walls are lined with plates of enamel, nested and covered in tar material.[7] The stainless steel doorway was welded permanently closed after the oxygen had been removed and replaced with non-decomposing hydrogen. Thomas Kimmwood Peters (1884–1973) supervised construction and served as the Crypt's archivist.[8][9]

Artifacts

The Bureau of Standards gave professional technical assistance for the artifacts and the building of the crypt room itself.[9] The bureau also recommended how artifacts should be stored.[10] Many artifacts are put into stainless steel holders with glass interiors and filled with an inert gas to prevent aging, a concept later carried over to the Westinghouse Time Capsules. The chamber resembles a room of an ancient Egyptian pyramid with antiques placed on shelves and the floor.[9] The walls are lined with pictographs by George L. Carlson that show the history of intelligence and human knowledge. These illustrations also explain in detail how to access the treasure trove of artifacts placed in the vault. Many of the artifacts were donated and contributions were received from the King of Sweden Gustav V and Eastman Kodak.[9] Suggestions for items that were accepted for the crypt chamber room included a mechanical pencil, a fountain pen and a can opener.[11]

Included in the crypt are airtight canisters containing microfilm on cellulose acetate film containing more than 800 standard books of literature, including the Christian Bible, the Quran, Homer's Song of Ilium, and Dante's Divine Comedy.[8] There are over 600,000 pages included.[12] A backup metal film system is also in the time capsule crypt. An original manuscript Gone With the Wind film was donated by movie producer David O. Selznick to be included as well. The crypt contains voice recordings of leaders from the 1930s, including Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Mussolini. The sounds of Popeye the Sailor Man and a professional pig caller were also included. Jacobs addressed those who will open the crypt in AD 8113 in a note hoping for future efforts for preservation, pointing out that the world had been engaged in preserving the human civilization for future generations, and in this crypt it has been presented to these people.[9][8][13]

Peters, the archivist, placed electric microfilm readers and picture projectors in the time capsule chamber to allow future generations to view and listen to these recordings. He also provided a wind turbine to generate electricity to run the devices, as well as a magnifier for the microfilm records, should electricity not be in general use by the 82nd century.[8][9] Peters even included contemporary scientific instruments like an altimeter, barometer, sextant, barometer, aircraft speed indicator, telephone, telegraph instruments, reading machines for the blind, a radio, a television, iconoscopes, and electronic tubes.[14] Unusual artifacts included are seed samples, dental floss, a woman's purse with typical contents, some Artie Shaw records, an electric toaster, a pacifier, a bottle of Budweiser beer encapsulated in special material for preservation, a manual typewriter, an electronic radio, a store cash register, an office adding machine, and children's toys like Lincoln Logs, and a plastic Donald Duck, the Lone Ranger, and a Black doll. Engraved steel panels of the Atlanta Journal newspaper showing reports from the first year of World War II, were also placed in the crypt.[9][8]

Peters also included inside the time vault a machine called a Language Integrator that was a type of Mutoscope, a hand-operated movie projector with sound that taught English.[15] This was a type of Rosetta stone and another concept carried forward to the Westinghouse Time Capsules.[9][12]

Promotion

In 1937, Jacob spoke on the National Broadcasting Company in New York, to promote the Crypt on nationwide radio. A dedication ceremony at the Oglethorpe University campus took place in May 1938, led by David Sarnoff of Radio Corporation of America. Peters subsequently included Paramount newsreels of the occasion in the crypt as well as film he had created about the crypt entitled The Stream of Knowledge that was published in 1938.[9] Metal cards were sold to by the university for one dollar, which would permit a future descendant of the contributor to attend the opening of the crypt at noon on Thursday, May 28, 8113.[3]

Jacobs and Peters permanently closed off the crypt in a ceremony that was broadcast by Atlanta's WSB radio May 25, 1940.[8] Notable figures present at the ceremony included Dr. Amos Ettinger, Dr. M. D. Collins, Mayor William B. Hartsfield, Ivan Allen, Jr., Clark Howell, Governor Eurith D. Rivers, and Postmaster General James Farley.[8] The door was welded shut, and a plaque was fused to it with a message to the people of AD 8113 from Jacobs. In 1990, Guinness World Records wrote that the vault was the first genuine attempt that successfully preserved permanently a record of 20th century cultural objects for any future inhabitants of Earth or visitors that may come to the unoccupied planet.[16]

After sealing

There have been numerous retrospectives on Crypt of Civilization published or broadcast by the Associated Press, ABC, NBC, CNN, NPR, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution, New York Times newspaper. After the sealing ceremony in 1940, media organizations continued to re-visit the crypt in news stories every decade.[8] The "ITCS", an international society club for keeping track of time capsules worldwide, was founded at Oglethorpe University on the fiftieth anniversary (1990) of the official closing of the vault. The consortium studies time capsules created worldwide, and records their types and locations. The Crypt of Civilization regained prominence from 1999 to 2001 as a result of the Millennium celebrations.[9] It was featured on television and covered by numerous newspapers. The crypt was presented and highlighted in an episode of Life After People: The Series on the History Channel.[17]

Later time capsules inspired by The Crypt of Civilization

The Crypt of Civilization intrigued America and was replicated by many others. In the mid-1930s, George Edward Pendray, a public relations executive, created the Westinghouse time capsule for a public ceremony for the 1939–40 New York World's Fair, in order to raise awareness of his company's repository vault. The rocket-shaped vessel, with a 7-foot-long (2.1 m) exterior made from the metal alloy cupaloy, contained a Pyrex inner tube in which articles were placed.[8] Pendray’s design was originally called a "time bomb", but the name was later changed to avoid an association with warfare. Pendray chose the name "time capsule" as it encapsulated within a container man-made objects and was intended to be opened in 61 centuries.[8][9]

Westinghouse made two time capsules for different world's fairs at different times. They were both placed fifty feet below Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, the site of the fairs. Time Capsule I was created for the 1939 New York World's Fair and Time Capsule II was created for the 1964 New York World's Fair. The second capsule is placed ten feet north of the first capsule. The capsules are filled with physical objects of that time period of social and scientific interest. They are to be opened at the same time in the year of 6939 A. D.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Paul Stephen Hudson". Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
  2. ^ "Time capsules leave behind remnanta of our lives". Quad-City Times. Davenport, Iowa. July 29, 1993. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  3. ^ a b "Crypt of Civilization". Public Opinion. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. March 29, 1940. p. 12. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  4. ^ Duane D. Stanford (September 29, 1994). "College historic areas make National Register". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. p. 95. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  5. ^ "Time Keepers". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, George. December 26, 2017. p. B3. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  6. ^ "Phoebe Hearst Memorial Hall". Built Works Registry. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Oglethorpe / Worldwide headlines". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, George. February 10, 1985. p. 129. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "History of the Crypt of Civilization". Archived from the original on 2015-10-02. Retrieved 2015-10-22.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The New Georgia Encyclopedia — Crypt of Civilization". Archived from the original on 2021-02-10. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
  10. ^ "Detailed History - The "Archaeological Duty" of Thornwell Jacobs: The Oglethorpe Atlanta Crypt of Civilization Time Capsule". Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  11. ^ "The Crypt of Civilization". Warrenton Banner. Warrenton, Missouri. December 17, 1953. p. 1. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  12. ^ a b Seibert 2002, pp. 16–24.
  13. ^ "The Crypt of Civilization". Unknown World. May 2017. Archived from the original on 10 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  14. ^ "8113 Will Hear of 1940". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. April 28, 1940. p. 87 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  15. ^ Paul Simmons (June 29, 1938). "Invention key to 20th Century". The North Adams Transcript. North Adams, Massachusetts. p. 7. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com Open access icon.
  16. ^ Dean 2010, p. 18.
  17. ^ "Life After People - Jan 19, 2010". Retrieved February 10, 2012.
  18. ^ Westinghouse 1938, p. 6.

Sources

External links

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