tree of death

absolutely beautiful.

capsula mundi is a design for a biodegradable coffin made from starch plastic that holds the deceased in a fetal position. the stunning artwork was created by italian designers anna citelli and raoul bretzel:

"capsula mundi is planted in the earth like a seed. above it, to signal the presence of occupied space, is a shallow concave circle dug out of the ground. in the center of which, a tree is planted, the essence of it chosen in life by the dead one, the care of this tree is the responsibility of everyone. the aim is ecological burial, literally a more natural way to decay. the cemetery will, then, acquire a new look. no longer the overpopulated urban environment with congested architecture, it will be a natural one in contact with the earth, enveloping expansive areas, entire hills consecrated to the cult of the dead. summarizing, it is a different landscape devoted to the worship of our ancestry: a sacred forest."

link (via aeiou) (via boingboing)