Building of a Community Museum in the Luracatao Valley (Molinos Department, Salta, Argentina). Contributions from Citizen Science and Archaeology

Abstract

The Luracatao Valley (Molinos Department, Salta) has potential for the study of pre-Hispanic societies, as previous research attests. However, although these have been discontinuous, there is at a local level a perception of Archaeology as a plunderer of objects, although the main collectors have not strictly come from the discipline. From the convergence of interests of local communities, government agencies that took these proposals into account and an academic project interested in the generation of data for the reconstruction of isotopic ecologies of the Calchaquí Valley, a series of activities were shaped under the Citizen Science approach. As a central proposal, inputs were generated for a future community museum. To achieve this, socio-environmental calendars, community mapping and recording of ceramic pieces held by the families were carried out. The results show a strengthening of the link between heritage, identity and territory, highlighting the potential of the Citizen Science model to reconcile academic and community interests. The proposal contributes not only to heritage preservation, but also to cultural and educational development, promoting sustainability and recognition of local knowledge. We understand that this perspective can be formed as an alternative to settle disagreements between the archaeological community and local communities, while it can be replicated to address heritage conflicts in similar contexts.