Challenges for the Twenty-First Century: The Patrimonialization of Piedra Museo

Abstract

In this chapter, we analyse the process of patrimonialization of the archaeological locality Piedra Museo, reflecting, from a public archaeology, the different views and tensions that emerge in the use of the past. We expose our perspective, from the scientific endeavour, as well as the uses and resignifications of other social actors. Piedra Museo was a hunting place and residence for hunter-gatherers, a sheep post, an archaeological, paleontological and geological site. Today it is still a hunting place, besides a place for tourist recreation. The different forms of current use of this space imply different valuations and interactions between archaeological knowledge and the current inhabitants of the region, which gives to it even greater importance. However, the red flags as vandalism alert us that urgent and effective action is needed to preserve the archaeological locality. Such actions include advancing in the legal aspects, the development of social, communicational and anthropological research that goes beyond mere archaeological investigation, as well as the design of a management plan according to the needs and diversities of the community.