Living by the Sea: Amphibious Landscapes of Identity and Community in a 19th-Century “Fisher’s” Village (Grândola, Portugal)

Abstract

Mid-19th century maps of Tróia Peninsula (Grândola) indicated the existence of a site named “Fishermen’s huts” on the beach. The site was partially excavated in 2019 and presents the characteristics of a village where around a dozen vernacular architecture shacks accommodated people who lived there between approximately 1860 and 1920. The architecture, material culture, and settlement location reveal the presence of a population with specific social and cultural characteristics related to an amphibious or hybrid lifestyle between the land and the sea. This paper presents this community, considering the relation of the people living there with the surrounding environment (natural and cultural resources) and relations within the community, where it was possible to recognize different genders and identities. These considerations are framed within social, economic, and cultural concepts.