Arqueologia da religião: malês e diáspora africana a partir do conceito de agencialidade no Terreiro do Bogum, Salvador, Bahia

Abstract

The Terreiro do Bogum, located in Salvador, Bahia, is a sacred space of resistance and resilience, rooted in the legacy of the Malês and the practices of Jeje Candomblé. This research, grounded in the perspectives of Archaeology of Religion and Archaeology of the African Diaspora, investigates how rituals, landscapes, and materialities converge to sustain the collective identity and memory of Terreiro do Bogum. The thesis is structured around three main axes: the first explores Afro-Brazilian rituals and their sacred materialities, emphasizing how objects such as beads, amulets, and ceramics are employed in religious practices and symbolic resistance. The second axis analyzes the archaeology of landscape, examining how Bogum is embedded in the urban fabric of Salvador, adapting to transformations while reaffirming its sacredness. The third addresses African diaspora influences, highlighting cultural connections between Islamic traditions and Jeje Candomblé. The study is informed by theorists such as Zeny Rosendahl, Luís Cláudio Symanski, Lucio Menezes Ferreira, and Pedro Paulo Funari, whose works articulates sacred space, the intersection of archaeology and history, the material culture of the African diaspora, and the public dimension of heritage. By integrating Archaeology, Anthropology, and Religious Studies, the thesis underscores the role of terreiros as vital spaces of Afro-diasporic memory and resistance. Thus, the dissertation contributes to the recognition of terreiros as active agents in preserving Afro-diasporic memory and identity in contemporary Brazil.