Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi's Archaeological Collection Reveals 13,000 Years of Amazonian History

The Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, a research institution in Belém, Pará, holds one of the world's largest collections of Amazonian archaeology, with artifacts dating back 13,000 years. Archaeologist and curator Dr. Helena Pinto Lima explains that the collection challenges the mid-20th century notion of an 'empty' Amazon, revealing instead a long history of sophisticated human societies that shaped the forest through intentional soil management and cultural innovation. The museum's archaeological ceramics, including the ancient Marajoara tradition, are among the oldest in the Americas. A 2016 publication co-produced with Iphan, 'Cerâmicas arqueológicas da Amazônia – Rumo a uma nova síntese,' documents this history. The institution also engages in contemporary museological debates, aligning with the International Council of Museums' (ICOM) 2022 definition of museums as institutions serving society. Current research focuses on reconnecting artifacts, such as Maracá funerary urns, with their human remains and original contexts, a project led by museology student Lucas Silva from the Federal University of Pará (UFPA).