On one side, an indigenous oven that may date back more than a thousand years and other objects found at the indigenous archaeological site in the Santarenzinho site, near the municipality of Rurópolis (just over 1,100 km from Belém), western side of Pará state.
On the other, necklaces, headdresses, and artifacts from the Munduruku ethnicity, widely distributed in the Tapajós region and longtime occupants from most parts of the state in the past.
The artifacts, along with items from the history and culture of Itaituba (1,250 km from the capital), make up the collection of the Aracy Paraguassu Municipal Museum, located in the city center.
The rich archaeological and ethnographic collection only exists thanks to the efforts of a 70-year-old teacher, who decided, on her own, to create the museum from scratch.
This story was produced with support from Earth Journalism Network. It was first published in Portuguese in Folha de São Paulo on July 27, 2024. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner image: The municipal museum of culture and history in Pará / Credit: Ana Bottallo.
Ana Bottallo Quadros
