Prehistory workshops in the Conca de Barberà to strengthen the link between community and heritage

L’Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), in collaboration with the Consell Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà, has organized a series of prehistory workshops this Easter in several municipalities of the region. The initiative aimed to bring scientific knowledge closer to citizens and strengthen the link between the community and its heritage, especially in rural environments with low population density.

The activities took place in Rocafort de Queralt, Barberà de la Conca, les Piles and Forès, and were designed as practical, inclusive and accessible experiences for all audiences, with special attention to families. Through these activities, the aim was to facilitate understanding of prehistoric research and highlight the archaeological heritage of the region.

Learning prehistory through experience

Within the framework of this project, a catalogue of workshops was created, allowing participants to approach research through active and experiential methodologies, using data and replicas inspired by existing/documented sites in the region:

• Workshop “La Creativitat a la Prehistòria: L’art prehistòric de la Conca de Barberà” in Rocafort de Queralt and Barberà de la Conca: rock art and symbolic thinking were explored through the use of natural pigments and experimental materials, linked to the prehistoric art of the area.
• Workshop “Arqueolab: La Prehistòria a la Conca de Barberà” in les Piles: offered a practical approach to the scientific method. Through simulated excavations and the analysis of remains in field laboratories (archaeology, zooarchaeology, archaeobotany and paleoanthropology), families were able to understand how the past is studied from archaeological evidence.
• Workshop “L’evolució del poblament a la Conca de Barberà” in Forès: provided an overall view of the relationship between human communities and the landscape of the Conca de Barberà over time, contextualizing the main changes documented archaeologically.

Heritage as a driver of social impact within the COPATRIMONI project

Beyond their outreach dimension, these activities are part of a strategy aimed at generating social impact from research. In this sense, they contribute to improving knowledge of prehistory, fostering critical thinking and promoting scientific literacy among the population.

At the same time, they encourage citizens to identify with their local prehistoric heritage, promote its protection and reinforce its role as a cultural, educational and social asset, especially in small municipalities where access to such activities is more limited.

These actions were developed within the COPATRIMONI project (“Ciutadania i educació per preservar el patrimoni de la Conca de Barberà”), an initiative aimed at fostering knowledge and social awareness of the value of prehistoric heritage through outreach, educational activities and citizen participation in research.

The project aims to involve citizens in research, dissemination and protection of heritage, with special attention to small municipalities and young audiences, through initiatives that connect research with society.

In this context, the actions contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 4 (quality education) and SDG 11 (protection of cultural heritage), promoting knowledge, participation and public awareness.

The project is led by IPHES-CERCA with the collaboration of the Consell Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà, and the participation of the Centre de Recursos Pedagògics and the Museu Comarcal de la Conca de Barberà, and is funded by the Departament de Recerca i Universitats of the Generalitat de Catalunya through AGAUR (IMPAC call, ref. IMPAC24/00096).