Tale of the Scale and the Skull (artwork)
2024 permanent public artwork, Berlin
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The Tale of the Scale and the Skull is a permanent public artwork, a Kunst am Bau project by artist Alona Rodeh, which was installed in 2024 on the terrace of PETRI, the archaeological research and visitor center at Petriplatz in Berlin.[1]
Design
The work consists of 600 cm × 600 cm (240 in × 240 in) natural stone floor mosaic with a skeleton figure at the centre, which references medieval remains that were uncovered during excavations at the site, believed to be the "first Berliners".[2] Surrounding the skeleton are illustrations of archaeological tools, bones, and measuring instruments. The composition also incorporates a depiction of the 19th-century allegorical statue Berolina, a female personification of Berlin.[3][4][5]
The artwork was commissioned by Berlin’s Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion, in cooperation with Berlin’s Senate Department for Urban Development and Housing.[6]