Practices and Associated Knowledge
Portuguese cobblestone pavement is a cultural practice that goes beyond mere technical skill, involving a profound understanding of both the materials and the execution process. The quality of the pavement depends not only on the artistic and technical ability of the pavers and stone cutters but also on mastery of various subsidiary knowledge areas, such as geology, meteorology, and intuitive geometry.
For stone cutters, it is essential to know the characteristics of the rock, such as hardness, colour, and porosity, as well as environmental factors that affect the extraction process. Pavers, on the other hand, need to understand how climatic and seasonal conditions influence the state of the stones, and how they are able to take measurements and make adjustments based on practical experience, without relying on instruments.
There are several other intangible heritages associated with the know-how of Portuguese cobblestone pavement. These include the knowledge of the carpenter and the blacksmith, for the production of templates and the making and sharpening of hammers, respectively, as well as the skills and creativity of artists in producing the designs, the inspiration of lyric artists who create poetry and songs about events or themes from the “world of Portuguese cobblestone pavement,” and expressions that form part of the specific jargon of that same “world.”