Consanguinient markings: a crypticarium for the Wonderwerk Cave near Kuruman, Northern Cape

Abstract

Contemporary discourse in architecture has ignited a contentious discussion surrounding the ethical considerations of constructing architectural interventions on culturally and historically significant archaeological sites. This debate often centres on the potential loss or distortion of the intrinsic historical and cultural values inherent to these sacred locations, as highlighted by Sechaba Maape.

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗹𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆'𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗸 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶?

The study proposes a crypticarium as an architectural intervention; a novel typology which tries to draw near a deeper ground sustaining both the awe, hiddenness, and mystery that cultural sites hold for indigenous groups, and the need for clarity, revelation, and understanding which drives archaeological research.

To drive this kind of design, a study of the architectural implications of Afropolitan poetics will be conducted. Specifically, the writings of Achille Mbembe, Ryan Thomas Skinner, and Sarah Balakrishnan, will be consulted to suggest how a place of thick relationships can be composed, thereby revealing the new design as an architecture of consanguinity.

The crypticarium aims to create a space where obscure information from different cultural narratives can be internalized and integrated through its interpretation and appropriation liberating each visitor to overcome the limitations of their backgrounds and find their way to uncover the multifaceted relationships between mystery and clarity.