Sepulka

Sepulki or sepulcas (singular: sepulka, sepulca) are fictional objects found in works of Polish science fiction writer Stanisław Lem, The Star Diaries and Observation on the Spot. They are defined in the (fictional) dictionary as "objects used for sepuling".

They are translated as Scrupts in English editions of Lem's novels, ^[1] which obscures further cultural associations for English readers.

Lem's sepulki

Sepulki were first mentioned by Lem's interstellar traveller Ijon Tichy in his fourteenth voyage. It is, however, never explained what they actually are and what their use is.

The Encyclapaedia Cosmica gives the following definitions on the subject:^[2]

• Sepulka – pl: sepulki, a prominent element of the civilization of Ardrites from the planet of Enteropia; see "Sepulkaria"
• Sepulkaria – sing: sepulkarium, establishments used for sepuling; see "Sepuling"
• Sepuling - an activity of Ardrites from the planet of Enteropia; see "Sepulka"

Although omnipresent in art and commercials of the alien civilisation Tichy visits, discussions of sepulkas is a major taboo and all of Tichy's attempts to learn about them are seen by the locals as a faux pas. Eventually Ijon Tichy decides to simply purchase a sepulka, but when asked by a clerk where his wife is he admits he's a bachelor, the clerk and other customers are shocked and appalled by his attempt and Tichy is forced to leave the premises.

Sepulki in real life

In 1983-1985, the Polish Union of Fans of Science Fiction (Polskie Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Fantastyki) issued the award Golden Sepulka (pl:Złota Sepulka) for works of science fiction.^[3]

Sepulcidae is a family of extinct hymenopteran insects found in 1968 in Transbaikalia. It was identified by Alexandr Pavlovich Rasnitsyn and named by his colleague and a science-fiction author Kirill Eskov.^[4]

In 2007 Wojciech Orliński published a book "Co to są sepulki? Wszystko o Lemie" ("What are Sepulki? Everything about Lem"), ISBN 8324007989.

See also

• Gentle zits

References