Engenho dos Erasmos, Portuguese colonial sugar mill in Santos, Brazil.
Engenho dos Erasmos is a sugar mill complex from the colonial period featuring preserved stone structures, residential quarters, and remains of water-powered machinery. The site spreads across multiple areas where visitors can identify production rooms, storage buildings, and living spaces from centuries past.
The site was founded in 1534 and operated for generations under the Schetz family, pioneers of sugar production in Brazil during the early colonial era. Ownership and uses changed through the centuries, eventually leading to its preservation as a historical record.
The site carries the name of its original owners and reveals through its remains how colonial settlements were organized around sugar production. Visitors can trace daily life and work patterns of centuries past through the exposed foundations and scattered artifacts.
The site welcomes visitors regularly, and it is wise to wear sturdy shoes since the ground is uneven and scattered with archaeological remains. On-site information boards and guided tours help explain the exposed structures and their historical importance.
Archaeological digs have uncovered more than 2000 objects documenting life and work of different groups, including human and animal bones from the 16th century. These findings provide rare insights into daily practices and food habits of the colonial period that are rarely preserved elsewhere.
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