Abstract: Knowing the history of a people is a way of keeping its identity alive, and archaeological sites are cultural historical riches that are composed of important elements to know aspects of art, traditions and knowledge of a certain people, however due to the lack of knowledge of many people about the relevance of archaeological sites, the devaluation and even the depredation of this heritage has grown. In view of this, the objective was to identify the perception of students from a public school regarding the importance of the archaeological heritage located in their region and to develop an intervention action with the purpose of promoting awareness for the preservation of this area. For this, an intervention study was developed at the Januário Ferreira de Souza Municipal School of Early Childhood and Elementary Education and included students from the 8th and 9th grade, totaling 72 researched subjects. A questionnaire was applied to identify the students’ level of knowledge and their conception of archaeological sites, rock art and other remains that can be observed in the region. It was found that the students’ knowledge of aspects of archaeology, archaeological sites and the relevance of historical and cultural heritage are incipient, however the intervention lecture clarified some controversial points and instigated the critical eye of the students involved. In this sense, it is understood that there was reflection and awareness on the part of these students, as the concern with culture and heritage was notorious, such as riches and memories that were passed on to future generations. Thus, the history materialized in archaeological sites should be the target of educational practices that can instigate reflection by students and future adults towards a perception that includes a sense of belonging and responsibility to preserve and demand from the public power the necessary measures to preserve this heritage.

Keywords: Rock painting, preservation, cultural heritage, belonging.