Abstract This article presents archaeology where it intersects with ethnography (ethnographic archaeology) as a possibility for listening to the many voices that manifest themselves during an excavation. I refer to these voices as multivocalities, and they are one of the means I use to investigate people’s perceptions of an excavation of a historical archaeological site. The backdrop for these discussions was an urban archaeology project in the district of Campina, in the immediate surroundings of the unique landmarks of Pará’s capital, Belém. Set amid this historical center, this text suggests that archaeological research can greatly benefit from the participation of citizens who enjoy the city and even become a tool for information, whether these people work directly together with archaeologists or visit the excavations. One conclusion is that through participation, archaeological and cultural heritage loses some of its ‘mystery’ and becomes easier for people to recognise and, in turn, perhaps preserve.

Resumo Neste artigo, a Arqueologia e a sua interface com a Etnografia – Arqueologia Etnográfica – são apresentadas como possibilidades de ouvir as muitas vozes que se manifestam durante uma escavação – a estas vozes, chamarei de multivocalidades, e as usarei como um dos meios para investigar as percepções das pessoas sobre a escavação de um sítio histórico. O cenário para as discussões aqui propostas foi um projeto de Arqueologia Urbana executado no bairro da Campina, no arrabalde imediato de cartões postais singulares da capital paraense. O objetivo do texto é, tendo como paisagem o Centro Histórico de Belém, argumentar que a pesquisa arqueológica muito se beneficia e serve ainda como instrumento de informação sobre a participação das cidadãs e dos cidadãos que fruem pela cidade, sejam as pessoas que trabalham diretamente junto com o arqueólogo, sejam aquelas que têm a oportunidade de visitar as escavações. Uma das conclusões é a de que o patrimônio cultural arqueológico perde um pouco de seu ‘mistério’, tornando-se mais fácil para as pessoas reconhecê-lo e, por isso, talvez preservá-lo.

Brasil, like many countries in Latin America, has a strong inequality in income distribution and opportunities among its population. In the educational realm, the XXth century saw the democratization of the access to education in this country. However, the expansion of the public educational network occurred without a warrant of quality for everyone and, therefore, the distinction between rich and poor survived in the educational system. This article presents the results of an investigation that, utilizes data from the national exam of secondary education to show the strong correlation between the socioeconomic conditions of the families and the quality of the basic education that can be enjoyed by the students of the province of Rio de Janeiro.