An Exhibition at the Conca de Barberà County Museum Showcases the Archaeological Research Conducted by Blancafort School (Conca de Barberà) with the Support of IPHES-CERCA

On 27 May, the exhibition The First Inhabitants of Blancafort opened at the Conca de Barberà County Museum. The exhibition presents the results of an archaeological research project carried out by students from Blancafort School (ZER Poblet). 

The initiative forms part of the project Georeferencing the Conca through Theatre, promoted by the Educational Resources Centre of Conca de Barberà. The programme combines school theatre activities with the exploration of the region and its cultural heritage. Each year, students from participating schools across the county gather at a host school, where they share theatrical performances and where the host school’s students introduce their local cultural heritage to the other participants.

As Blancafort School was hosting this year’s event, and within the framework of the collaboration between IPHES-CERCA and the Conca de Barberà County Council to promote awareness and appreciation of the region’s prehistoric archaeological heritage, a pilot experience was launched to showcase Blancafort’s local archaeological heritage for the first time within this educational programme.

With the guidance of a research and technical team led by researcher Josep Maria Vergès, the students experienced every stage of the archaeological research process. The project began with the collection of oral information from local residents to identify potential archaeological sites. Based on this information, the students carried out field surveys and participated in the cleaning, classification, identification, and documentation of the recovered materials, including photography and 3D scanning of the discovered artefacts.

The research process concluded with the preparation and submission of a report to Imma Teixell, the territorial archaeologist of the Department of Culture, who visited the school to collect the information prepared by the students for incorporation into the Archaeological and Palaeontological Heritage Inventory of Catalonia.

The enthusiasm generated by the project soon extended beyond the school environment and involved a significant part of the local community. Several residents participated by contributing archaeological materials they had previously found, collaborating in survey activities, and attending a public presentation in which the students themselves explained the aims of the project. The Blancafort Town Council also assisted in obtaining the permits required to carry out the archaeological intervention.

The exhibition, which can be visited at the Conca de Barberà County Museum until 7 June, showcases this entire experience, bringing together research, education, and community participation. It displays some of the most significant archaeological artefacts recovered from the four archaeological sites identified during the project. The exhibition also features several videos produced by IPHES in which the students explain their research and describe the materials they discovered.

This initiative forms part of the project led by IPHES-CERCA, “Citizenship and Education for the Preservation of the Prehistoric Heritage of Conca de Barberà – COPATRIMONI” (2024 IMPAC 00096), funded by the Catalan Department of Research and Universities. The project highlights local archaeological heritage as a powerful educational and social engagement tool and demonstrates the potential of research to generate social impact by bringing scientific knowledge closer to citizens, involving communities in research processes, and contributing to the appreciation and preservation of local archaeological heritage.