ABSTRACT
The clue that something is made by humans is that they add to the material elements and natural forms of wood and stone, fabric and food, a fingerprint of human intelligence, imagination, playfulness, and inventiveness. A branch may have a natural bend and curve as it leaves the tree trunk that would make it suitable for use as a ladle or scoop. The human sees the design of the ladle already in the bend and scoop, so he takes the branch and fashions it into a human instrument. Yet he often adds to the natural curve and scoop design by carving the image of a serpent, flower, or face on the handle. Animals build nests and burrows out of natural materials, and many add distinctive designs to these materials as they build. One species weaves the straw with mud, another with small pieces of wood. When humans build homes, they use natural materials, but they design and decorate the spaces so that they are both functional and pleasing. More often than not, the design carries symbolic value as well: One room is clearly a woman’s room, one a man’s; a family coat of arms decorates the parlor; a religious shrine sets off an interior room.
