The marbles from Alentejo in historical perspective: from the mid-19th century to 2020

Abstract

This article aims to briefly describe the historical process of the rediscovery of marbles in the Portuguese region of Alentejo and how, from 1850, marble began again to be exported to different areas of the globe. The installation of large companies provided a new economic dynamism for the region. We show how this industry evolved within the ornamental stone sector and then analyze its loss of momentum in recent years and discuss what threats and possibilities the future holds.