Archeology as an educational tool for contributing to knowledge of cultural identity in childhood

René Casimiro Perea and Ammiel Aguilar Aldama

SAP Southern Studies, 2026

Abstract: This study examines the integration of archaeology and pedagogy as an educational strategy aimed at fostering cultural identity in childhood. From a multidisciplinary perspective, the workshop “Little archaeologists: Discovering the ancient world” was designed and implemented, incorporating participatory activities such as simulated excavations and symbolic representation through Mesoamerican deity masks. The research was conducted in three different contexts in Veracruz, Mexico, involving children aged 6 to 12, allowing for the observation of variations in engagement and knowledge appropriation depending on the sociocultural environment. Findings indicate that playful and experiential methodologies enhance understanding of archaeological heritage, strengthen the sense of belonging, and stimulate curiosity about the past. Direct interaction with archaeological materials and practices generated higher levels of engagement compared to traditional memorization-based approaches. The study shows that early heritage education contributes to the formation of individuals aware of the value of their cultural legacy and their role in its preservation, highlighting the importance of collaboration between archaeology and pedagogy in developing meaningful educational practices.

Date: 2026
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://southam.pub/journals/files/ss/ss202693en.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:cwf:ssarti:ss202693

DOI: 10.62486/ss202693

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in SAP Southern Studies from South American Publishing
Bibliographic data for series maintained by South American Publishing Journals Manager ().