For its first outreach activity, project 2LEGACY was at the European Researchers’ Night 2024 in Évora with the motto ‘Industrial or local? The potter’s dilemma’ (‘Industrial ou local? O dilema do oleiro), which illustrates the question at the heart of this IN2PAST exploratory project: to study, value and revitalise the use endogenous clay in traditional ceramics production.

Thanks to the cooperation of the Estremoz Municipality and pottery association ADOE (Associação Dinamizadora da Olaria de Estremoz), participants could interact with different examples of traditional Estremoz clay pottery, in addition to samples of both ‘raw’ endogenous – i.e., formed by natural processes in the Earth’s crust – clay (collected clay) and prepared clay for pottery work.

Project PI Mathilda Coutinho (HERCULES – University of Évora / IN2PAST) was accompanied in loco by Ana Fonseca, from the Municipality of Estremoz, and Inês Crujo, from ADOE, as well as team members Catarina Miguel, Massimo Beltrame and co-PI Patrícia Moita, also HERCULES – University of Évora / IN2PAST researchers.

This year’s European Researchers’ Night was organised locally in Évora by the HERCULES Laboratory – University of Évora / IN2PAST, with activities taking place at Praça 1.º de Maio, between 5 and 10:30 pm, on Friday, September 27^th.