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When archeologists find a new artifact, they get understandably excited because it means they have another piece of the puzzle that helps them to understand what life was like thousands of years ago. Sometimes, they stumble across a major find that contains large numbers of artifacts that shines new lights on entire civilizations.
While things like this are clearly very exciting, how much better would it be if those archaeologists found a single location that included all sorts of items that gave them a overall picture of what life was like at the time. This could include pieces of music, art, images of cultures, and even a device designed specifically to teach us the languages that they spoke.
Well, if that is something that modern researchers would love to find, it is likely something that historians in the distant future would also find very beneficial. Or at least that is the thought of Dr. Thornwell Jacobs when he was studying ancient Egypt.
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So, he came up with the idea that he wanted to create a treasure trove of all the key items that he and his team could think of, and lock it safely away for the future. He even named this concept the time capsule, a term that is almost universally understood today.
At the time, Jacobs was the president of Oglethorpe University in Georgia, so he began the project that would turn an unused swimming pool into a giant vault that has since been named the Crypt of Civilization. This happened back in the 1930s, and after placing all sorts of things into it, the vault was sealed. Instructions on the outside ask that it not be opened until the year 8113 CE.
This date was chosen because, once it is reached, it would make the 1930’s about half way between the time of the ancient Egyptians and whatever civilization is around in 8113. This was explained by Jacobs himself in 1936.
So, what did they put into the crypt? Quite a bit.
Included in the vault is a book of records, which describes all the items that was left and how they were used. These include audio recordings of popular clarinetist Artie Shaw, movies showing pictures of events from 1898 up to the then present day, 100 books on microfilm, and even some more mundane things like a figurine of Donald Duck.
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Perhaps most important, he included a devices called the ‘language integrator,’ which was a hand-cranked device that would show the user various objects, the written name for the object (in English) and a voice would speak the name out loud. This will, hopefully, help to teach whatever civilization is around thousands of years from now how to understand English, so that they can benefit from this vault.
While none of us will ever know if this vault will be found by our distant ancestors (or, perhaps, aliens in the future) it is a nice thought that for the last 85 years (and thousands to come) there is a treasure trove of information waiting for discovery.
If you think that’s impressive, check out this story about a “goldmine” of lithium that was found in the U.S. that could completely change the EV battery game.