Archeology in Roraima during the past 40 years

Abstract

This article compiles published materials, activities conducted, and archaeological sites discovered in the Brazilian state of Roraima, presenting the sites known in the state at this time and their status regarding georeferencing and registration in the Integrated Knowledge and Management System (SICG) database of the Brazilian National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN). It also reports on the progress of environmental licensing in the state of Roraima and archaeology in general; the objective is to break the silence which for the past four decades has applied to this Amazonian territory which is simultaneously so rich and yet so poorly studied in terms of archaeology. The chosen methodology was bibliographical research involving internal documents and files from IPHAN’s central office in Roraima, its systems (electronic data system - SEI, SICG, Brazilian National Register of Archaeological Sites - CNSA), and scientific publications. We determined that 81.5% of the sites have some kind of georeferencing and 71.7% are registered in the SICG. As for environmental licensing, actions by IPHAN and interventions by the Federal Public Prosecutor resulted in a record number of Activity Characterization Files in 2022. We can see that there has indeed been some progress in archaeology in the state of Roraima in recent years, despite the slow pace and lack of publicity.