Amazon Revealed project: Digital Narratives and an Archaeology of the Future.

• Grant number: 24/15228-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Journalism
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Archeology
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Góes Neves
• Grantee: Lisiane Müller Plumm Gomes
• Host Institution: Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Grupo de Usuários Wikimedia no Brasil, Brazil

Abstract

The Amazon Rainforest has an extraordinary human history, shaped over the past 12,000 years by continuous practices of domestication and environmental management rooted in the sophisticated knowledge of Indigenous and traditional peoples. These practices, which still resonate in the memory and identity of contemporary communities, are facing severe threats due to the intensified extraction of natural resources, affecting not only undiscovered or unstudied archaeological sites but also the territories and living conditions in the region. By applying data-driven scientific journalism techniques, this research proposal aims to disseminate the findings from the project "Amazon Revealed: Mapping Cultural Legacies." This project is conducting aerial surveys in the Amazon using LiDAR remote sensing technology to uncover hidden archaeological sites beneath the forest canopy. Funded by the National Geographic Society, it aims to transform the understanding of Indigenous legacies in the Amazon fundamentally and employs a collaborative methodology with the Peoples of the Forest. Under the guidance of Professor Eduardo Góes Neves, an archaeologist, project coordinator, and director of the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at the University of São Paulo (MAE-USP), this proposal intends to convert complex scientific data into visual content for journalistic articles. The fellow will develop a comprehensive communication strategy centered on multimedia production and data visualization, integrating archaeology, technology, and digital journalism. The content will be distributed through the project's website, social media, and partner media platforms, ensuring broad and diverse outreach. Additionally, interviews with experts and local collaborators will be conducted throughout the project. The journalistic approach aims not only to increase the transparency of the research for society but also to increase awareness of the Amazon's value as a biocultural and historical heritage. It aims to promote a more integrated understanding of archaeology, highlighting it as a vital tool for shaping public policies that protect the Amazon and its peoples, now and in the future.