Cattle Bell Craftsmanship (Chocalheira Art)

Cattle bell making is a traditional metallurgical craft from Alentejo, centered in the village of Alcáçovas, municipality of Viana do Alentejo (Évora district). On December 1, 2015, during the 10th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in Windhoek, Namibia, UNESCO inscribed “chocalheira art” on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding — a distinction that simultaneously recognizes the value of this ancient technique and the fragility of its transmission.

An idiophone that gives voice to the landscape

The cattle bell is a percussion idiophone instrument, consisting of an iron sheet bell with an internal suspended clapper, attached by a leather collar to animals’ necks. It doesn’t just locate and guide livestock: the variety of sizes, thicknesses and tunings creates true sound ensembles that for centuries shaped the soundscape of Alentejo’s countryside. Each herd carries a distinct timbre combination, allowing herders to recognize their animals from afar, even at night.

The bell’s sound isn’t an accessory effect, but a tuned language: the master craftsman works both form and pitch, adjusting the piece until achieving the desired note.

The master bell-maker’s technique

The process is entirely manual and requires lengthy apprenticeship. It begins with an iron sheet that’s cut, cold-hammered and bent over an anvil until taking a cup shape. Small portions of copper or tin are applied to the iron, then the piece is wrapped in a clay and straw mixture. Next comes kiln firing and rapid quenching in cold water, which fuses the metallic coating to the iron. Finally, the burnt clay is removed, the piece polished and its sound tuned. This expertise was traditionally transmitted within families, from parents to children, in small workshops.

Endangered knowledge

The nomination, promoted by Viana do Alentejo Municipality and Alcáçovas Parish Council with regional tourism board support, emphasized how the craft became economically unsustainable. New livestock management methods reduced the need for herders and bells, while competition from cheaper industrial pieces accelerated decline. At inscription time, only about eleven workshops and thirteen active bell-makers remained, most over 70 years old. UNESCO’s classification sought to reverse this trend by encouraging new artisans’ training and valuing bells as cultural/touristic objects — a dynamic visible at Alcáçovas’ Cattle Bell Museum.

Cattle bell making joins Portugal’s recognized intangible heritage expressions under intangible cultural heritage in Portugal, alongside Alentejo traditions like Cante Alentejano and cross-border practices like the Mediterranean Diet. Beyond its sonic and technical dimensions, cattle bell manufacturing stands today as one of the most emblematic cases of actively safeguarding an endangered traditional craft.