Coffins, graves, headstones, and all other things related to funerals are so complicated and costly! Not to mention how old and outdated they are.
Two Italian designers have come up with a unique project that completely changes the concept of traditional funerals.
Specifically, Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel have designed “Capsula Mundi,” which are small capsules in which the deceased bodies would be encapsulated in the fetal position. This unconventional and extremely interesting idea is called The Capsula Mundi project.
The organic capsule is made of 100% biodegradable material that over time transforms the deceased body into a tree.
How is this possible? Simple! First, the body is encapsulated in the fetal position and buried in the ground.
Above the capsule, instead of a cross or headstone, a seed or a sprouted sapling is planted.
In fact, when you feel that the end is near, you can choose the species of tree in which you want to transform yourself, just as in a traditional funeral, you would give instructions and choose the model of the coffin.
As time passes, your body transforms into nutrients that will feed the tree, allowing it to grow uninterrupted.
“This is the first project designed to promote the creation of green cemeteries in our country,” according to the capsulamundi.it website. “The Capsula Mundi is buried in the ground like a seed, and the tree is planted above it. The tree must be chosen by the respective person during their lifetime, and their friends and relatives will take care of it after their death.
The cemetery will no longer be full of crosses and headstones, but will become a sacred forest,” write the project initiators.
Essentially, these capsules could eventually replace cemeteries with forests or memorial parks, where families could enter and care for the tree of their loved ones.
“Capsula Mundi saves the lives of trees and even proposes the planting of others. By planting different trees next to each other, a forest will be created. A place where children can learn more about trees. It is also a place where you can walk in peace to remember your loved ones,” say Anna Citelli and Raoul Bretzel.
Unfortunately, although it is an Italian concept, this burial method is not yet permitted in Italy (I think the Pope in Rome has had a say in this), but there are places in the United States and England where the concept is legal and already enjoying success.
