DIGITAL DOCUMENTATION AND LANDSCAPE ARCHAEOLOGY: ROCK ENGRAVINGS OF CHAPADA DAS MESAS (MARANHÃO, BRAZIL)

Abstract

Considering the scarcity of systematic studies on rock engravings in Maranhão and the need to integrate interpretative and technological approaches in archaeology, this article presents the results of research conducted in the Chapada das Mesas National Park. The objective is to understand the relationship between archaeological sites, landscape, and human perceptions associated with the production of engravings, investigating how body, movement, and environment interact in the symbolic construction of space. To this end, phenomenological methodologies and digital documentation techniques were applied, including spatial analyses, geomorphological surveys, sensory landscape observations, and three-dimensional recordings using the Artec Eva 3D scanner, complemented by digital tracings. The results show that the integration between digital technologies and phenomenological interpretation expands the possibilities for recording, conserving, and disseminating Maranhão’s archaeological heritage, allowing the identification of technical and symbolic patterns present in the Morro das Figuras and Morro das Araras sites. It is concluded that the combination of landscape archaeology and 3D scanning represents a significant methodological advancement for documenting and valuing rock art expressions in the Brazilian Cerrado.