Acervo Arqueológico de Cerâmica Marajoara, Archaeological ceramic collection in Belém, Brazil
The Acervo Arqueológico de Cerâmica Marajoara is a collection of pre-Columbian ceramics from Marajó Island preserved in Belém. It includes vessels, urns, bowls, figurines, and objects used in ceremonies that reveal how people lived and worked in this region centuries ago.
Naturalist Domingos Soares Ferreira Penna gathered these pieces during his exploration trips to Marajó Island in the 1870s. His travels established the foundation for this collection of pre-Columbian ceramics.
The ceramic pieces show intricate patterns and shapes that reveal how the Marajó people organized their society and what they believed. The decorations on these objects tell you about the social roles and spiritual practices of those who made them.
The collection is stored in a specialized technical reserve under controlled conditions to protect the ceramics. Visitors should plan ahead as access must be arranged, since the collection is not always open to the public.
Some of the ceramic pieces are triangular-shaped garments that women wore and were custom-made for each person. The decorations on these objects indicated the wearer's social standing in the community.
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