Arqueologia de pedreiras

Mangaratiba, on the south coast of Rio de Janeiro, was known for the commercial importance of its port during the 19th century, when the city served as a link between the coast, the Paraíba Valley and the south of Minas Gerais. The city is also known for its relationship with Joaquim José de Souza Breves, one of the largest rural producers in Brazil during the Coffee Cycle. The importance of rock exploration in the city during this period is, however, unknown. Primitive adobe houses were replaced by stone and lime houses during the conversion of the indigenous village of Mangaratiba into a community inhabited by a European descent. The raw material used in the constructions were taken from quarries located in two areas next to the town and now incorporated into the urban fabric. The rocks from those quarries were analysed and recognized in buildings that are now part of the historical heritage of Mangaratiba, including the Stone Cruise, to which popular tradition erroneously attributes a Portuguese origin.