Regulatory Measures Concerning the Use of Adobe in Santiago de Chile During the Early Colonial Period
Authors
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Natalia Jorquera Silva
Universidad de Chile
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6230-8110
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Andrea Osorio Rodríguez
Universidad Central de Chile
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3882-4860
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Abstract
Santiago de Chile, like many other cities and capitals in Latin America, was built almost exclusively using adobe construction techniques during its first two hundred years. Today relegated to rural contexts and artisanal practices, this technique held a markedly different status in the 16th and 17th centuries, when its production was subject to regulation: official licenses were required for adobe manufacture, taxes were imposed, and other administrative controls were in place. Despite the importance of these aspects—constituting some of the earliest building regulations and specifically relating to the construction sector—Chilean historiography has largely overlooked them. Colonial studies tend to focus on the final century of the colonial period, from the mid-18th century to the country’s independence, and emphasize broader urban issues. Therefore, through a comprehensive review of the Actas del Cabildo de Santiago published between 1541 (the year Santiago was founded) and 1680, significant data was gathered concerning these early building regulations. Undoubtedly, this represents a valuable contribution to the history of construction in the capital during an under-researched period.
