FOSSILS AND PALEONTOLOGICAL HERITAGE: RETURNING INTEGRAL

Abstract

The Twentieth century brought an expansion of the Heritage concept in three dimensions - typological, chronological and geographical. Among the various categories created, there is the Paleontological Heritage, officially known as a set of fossils and associated records considered as the Earth's and Paleontology’s memories, as well as nonrenewable scientific resource. At the same time, the concept of the Integral Heritage arises, in which the conception of nature and culture, as well as material and immaterial, cannot be dissociated. Based on this new view, the preservation of the Paleontological Heritage can be given in a more inclusive and proactive way. Therefore the proposal of this article is to return to the integral environment from which the fossils were removed to be converted into the Paleontological Heritage. Herein this Heritage category is discussed in three essential parts aiming to achieve the Integral Heritage concept. The first part concerned on the possibilities of assigning meanings and values to fossils, in addition to scientific ones. The second deals with the process of converting goods into heritage, considering authorized voices and official instruments. Finally, we consider the polysemy Heritage concept, admitting that societies adopt proper ways to turn their goods and cultural references in heritages. We conclude that this path is permeated by moorings of the modern system of scientific knowledge and shapes the official discourse of Paleontological Heritage. To break this, our research indicates that the Integral Heritage can be adopted more than as a concept. It can be used as a methodological approach, aiming to construct more authentic heritages to the societies who must protect them.