Heritage and History of the Marble Industry: 10 years of the Estremoz Anticline Study (Portugal)

Abstract

In Portugal, the largest marble reserve is located on the region of Alentejo, in the southern of the country. For centuries, the continuous exploration of these quarries, led to the creation of an industry. The transmission of know-how of its operation was associated with the evolution of production techniques and technologies, in order to satisfy the demands of the national and international markets of architecture and sculpture. Since the Roman period (1st century), these marbles have been taken to different places, and in the last 150 years, with the intensification of merchandise circulation, they have been exported to many faraway countries, reaching the five continents. The present text aims to show how the multidisciplinary study "Heritage and History of the Marble Industry" developed by the CECHAP Studies Center in cooperation with research centers from Portuguese Universities, has been contributing (since 2012) to the historical, heritage, social and economic knowledge of this industry.