The La Bisbal survey treaty (1812)

Abstract

Transcription of a handwritten surveying treaty in Catalan, dated in La Bisbal d’Empordà in 1812. Authorship hides behind the initials G. F. and A., possibly corresponding to Ginés Ferrer. The work shows interest in the technique of measuring land in a rural environment. It corresponds to a time when, apart from the limited elite of land surveyors employed in the Cadaster and the few graduates from the royal academies of arts, the occupation of surveyor had a low degree of professionalization. It was a knowledge applied by local experts, surveyors who had acquired practice by family tradition or within their union training (as carpenter, housemaster...).

Keywords: surveying, geometer, Catalan edition, history of cartography.