Domestic Archaeology, chest (part 2)

My mother had an ugly old sewing chest (like this one, only worse) 

At Peters Valley, I removed all the fake plastic wicker and used only the wooden frames and handles, creating a flat version of the chest:

Here's the top of the closed chest:

Chest,    Size: 11”H x 17”W x 3”D closed; 11”H x 26”W x 3”D open   2007

On the outside, I sewed bits of crochet and quilt yo-yo's, along with some crochet instructions. The inside covers have printed versions of the same arrangements. And the bottom of the chest holds ceramic versions of the arrangements. So:

The cover has the (dyed) crochet and yo-yo's. the underside of the left-hand cover has the same arrangement, but it's in print (using thickened dyes). Inside the chest are ceramic versions of the same materials - I pressed each one into clay, cut away the scraps, fired and stained them. By opening the chest, you see the actual handwork metamorphosing into fossils.   

Written along the edge: Although the weaving and looms have rotted away, archaeologists sometimes find clay loom weights. I read that at many archaeological site, the only indication of textile activity is some clay impression. This cloth/print/ceramic chest  addresses that fact.

Impressions      Size: 15”h x 20”w 2007  This piece explicitly spells it out: Ancient textiles decayed long ago.....only impressions in the clay remain. The crocheted elements are embedded under the cloth, stitched onto the cloth, and presented as ceramic impressions.

more Domestic Archaeology on Friday...