The Greek etymology of the word magma is dough mixture. In geology, the term magma refers to an incandescent mixture of molten rocks and gas, while figuratively it represents a chaotic mass of heterogeneous objects. Consistent with these definitions, the evocative choice of the name M.A.G.M.A.X summarizes the fundamental concept of the same, in its ambition to represent in a museum collection the multiple expressions and declinations of the Earth Sciences, through the “neatly chaotic” museum exhibition of objects and geological, mineralogical and mining materials.
The complete logotype includes a graphic symbol and a motto, in addition to the full decoding of the acronym M.A.G.M.A.X, which, read clockwise along the circumference, is expressed in the Astense Museum of Geology, Mineralogy, Mining Art and Crystallography. This last word, symbolized by the letter “X”, represents crystal and crystallography in scientific jargon, a necessary cultural completion of the disciplines of Earth Sciences.
The letter “A” of the acronym stands for “Astense”, in homage to the millennial history of the city of Asti and its fourteenth-century Torre Uberto De Regibus, which houses the M.A.G.M.A.X. The heraldic colors of the famous and powerful ghibelline De Regibus family, who were the first of the municipality of Asti founded in 1095, are reproduced in the logo: copper red, silver gray and golden yellow, on the background of which the motto Plura eius genera. The latter, corresponding to the definition of gypsum that appears in the Historia Naturalis written in 77 AD from the Latin naturalist Pliny the Elder it has a double meaning. It expresses the fundamental concept of the M.A.G.M.A.X itself, which wants to be the maximum declination of mineralogy in its multiple collecting aspects and, moreover, refers to the graphic symbol of the logo which casually recalls a battlement of the medieval tower but who above all represents a gypsum crystal twinned with spearand / or dovetail twins, as a result of the symmetrical association of two crystals of the same species. This particular crystallographic law of twinning highlights that the symmetrical association of the two gypsum crystals is specular. In fact, observing the graphic symbol, it is divided longitudinally into the two right and left parts, facing each other mirrored as in an open book-closed book scheme, with further reference to the importance of the numerous books present in the M.A.G.M.A.X.
Furthermore, the Greek etymology of the word geminato refers to the meaning of doubling, hence the term twin. Not surprisingly, the MAGMAX was born in June 2021 and therefore under the zodiac sign of twins, as well as its embryo which always originated under the sign of twins in June 1968, the beginning of the passion and consequent mineralogical collection of the then eleven years old creator of M.A.G.M.A.X.
Gypsum, as the only mineralogical species present at an industrial and collecting level in Monferrato – and therefore in the geological area of Asti – is the worthy starting point for the first temporary collection of the M.A.G.M.A.X.
Finally, the crossed hammers that occupy the center of the logo are the universally recognized mining symbol. In particular, the hammer heads facing upwards mean “active mine” and, referring to the museum, evoke its principles of vitality and dynamism, starting with the quarterly rotation of the temporary collection, dedicated alternately to a mineral and a mineralogist.
The logo, in addition to publicly characterizing the museum, appears on the signs, on the ex-libris and on all the publications of the M.A.G.M.A.X.
