the reliance on local materials and the emphasis on function over form, are characteristics of brazilian arts and crafts, that can be traced back to the earliest people to live in the shadow of sugar loaf mountain.

european influences, of course, also play a major role in the history and tradition of arts and crafts in rio de janeiro state. up until the industrial revolution, all goods were produced in an artisanal fashion, and much of this production was organized in the guild system.