Fragment van een kop die gemaakt is van een pompoen en gevonden is in het Mesa Verde National Park before 1893

This fragment of a cup, made from a pumpkin, was found in Mesa Verde National Park by Gustaf Nordenskiöld. The small, black and white image shows a broken artifact, inviting consideration of form and function. The fragment's dark silhouette against the bright page creates a stark contrast, emphasizing its fragmented nature. Nordenskiöld’s work draws attention to the form and materiality of the artifact itself. How does the structure of the fragment challenge our expectations of wholeness and utility? The image, presented in a book, becomes a signifier—a trace of a lost object and culture. The materiality of the pumpkin, now reduced to a mere fragment, raises questions about the temporality of human-made objects and their endurance through time. The photograph's composition destabilizes conventional notions of display, presenting the fragment as both an object of scientific inquiry and a potent symbol of cultural heritage. It invites us to consider not only what is visible but also what is absent, prompting us to fill in the gaps with our own interpretations and speculations.