PIAUÍ IN THE HISTORY OF MATHEMATICS: CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISTORICAL, ARCHAEOLOGICAL, INDUSTRIAL AND TERRITORIAL HERITAGE TO UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORICAL CONSTITUTION OF MATHEMATICAL THOUGHT

Abstract

This study analyzes how historical processes embodied in the archaeological, historical, industrial, and territorial heritage of the state of Piauí, Brazil, reveal practices that contributed to the historical development of mathematical thinking. The research is grounded in the understanding that mathematics is a historical construction shaped in response to the social, economic, political, and cultural needs of different societies. This is a qualitative study of a basic research nature, based on a bibliographic review and documentary research, with data analyzed through Bardin's (2016) Content Analysis framework. The theoretical foundation integrates contributions from the History of Mathematics, Mathematics Education, and Cultural Heritage studies. Six representative case studies from the history of Piauí were examined: Serra da Capivara, the city of Oeiras, the Battle of Jenipapo, the establishment of the Butter and Cheese Factory of the National Farms of Piauí, the territorial dispute between Ceará and Piauí, and the Parnaíba Delta. The findings demonstrate that these historical processes preserve social practices related to spatial organization, territorial administration, strategic planning, logistics, cartography, and circulation networks, revealing forms of reasoning that contributed to the historical development of mathematical thinking. The study concludes that the heritage of Piauí extends beyond its role in historical and cultural preservation, constituting an important source for understanding the historical production of mathematical thinking and expanding research possibilities at the intersection of the History of Mathematics, Cultural Heritage, and Mathematics Education.