Heritage Education and Public Archaeology: activities and thoughts of the University of Macerata around the archaeological heritage of Tifernum Mataurense (Sant'Angelo in Vado, PU)

The awareness of the educational role of cultural heritage and the holistic approach to the management of archaeological heritage as proposed by Public Archaeology are the prerequisites for the development of theoretical elaborations and practical activities for museums and parks, with educational, social and cultural objectives. The aim is to enable the public to understand the archaeological data, to adopt different communicative and educative methods in response to the social needs of cultural participation, to reaffirm the value of archaeological heritage for the development of sustainable tourism and the combined promotion of cultural and natural diversity as opportunities for growth for citizens. The team of the University of Macerata has been reflecting on all this for some time now since for almost twenty years carrying out stratigraphic surveys in the archaeological area of Tifernum Mataurense (Sant'Angelo in Vado, PU), a small Roman municipality, located in the central-Apennine area along the upper Metauro valley, which still preserves significant Roman remains in a rich context of artistic, environmental and gastronomic attractions. Over time, starting from the annual excavation campaigns, a circuit of diversified activities has been created to open up and communicate archaeology to students and the general public through meetings and debates, storytelling walks amongst the ruins, full immersion on themes of life in ancient times.