Pátio cercado por árvores de espinho e outras frutas, sem ordem e sem simetria: O quintal em vilas e arraiais de Minas Gerais (séculos XVIII e XIX)

ABSTRACT

This article analyses urban and rural backyards in Minas Gerais, in the late18^th and early 19^th centuries. Sources include probate records, foreign travelers accounts, administrative documents and iconography. These spaces are interpreted as a part of material culture, as provisioning grounds, and places of sociability and family intimacy. The connections of yards within households and the surrounding streetscapes are examined, revealing that they can be viewed as instruments of balance in the overall urban landscape.

KEY WORDS:
Backyards; Material culture; Minas Gerais