The loss of lived experiences and cultural practices associated with the river is evident across urban, peri-urban and rural contexts since the rise of industrialisation in the nineteenth century, resulting in political, social, environmental and technological transformations. In this context, toponymy, as a linguistic and historical study of the origins of place names, enables understanding and access to memories inscribed in these places. Through its interpretation, it is possible to identify traces of everyday practices associated with water, such as those progressively erased by the advance of construction over rivers or by the displacement of commercial practices from the river to the terrestrial environment. This study proposes a diachronic analysis of the river's significance in local lived experiences using a spatial toponymic approach. It aims to explore how the names assigned to streets and their surrounding landscapes, which are closely related to water, reflect the collective memories of everyday practices that have, over time, evolved into festive events. In this analysis, we consider the extensive spatial toponymic dimension, examining how spatial uses are categorised typologically. This approach differs from traditional methods, as it seeks to understand language, history, culture, and society through a philological lens, termed intensive toponymy. The historic centre of the Vila Nova da Barquinha, located in Portugal, was chosen as the case study. Like many other rural towns, it developed around a river, which serves as a source of sustenance and contributes to the town's identity. The methodological process is organised into three main stages: data preparation, GIS-based processing, and interpretative analysis. In the preparation stage, historical and contemporary maps are consulted to reference local toponymy. This helps identify landscape transformations over time. An extensive survey of toponyms, which includes street names and surrounding landscape elements, is conducted systematically. These toponyms are then classified into typological categories (such as religious, environmental, and industrial) to aid in interpreting spatial use. The GIS-based processing stage involves mapping and georeferencing the toponyms. Each element is recorded with associated attributes within a Geographic Information System (GIS), enabling the analysis of its spatial distribution. Finally, the interpretative stage correlates the collected data with present-day conditions by examining in situ elements through photographs. This process allows for the identification and validation of the factors that have contributed to spatial transformations in the area. The contribution of this study lies in its potential to support the mapping of architectural and archaeological elements with cultural and identity significance within a given territory that are not represented in military or archaeological cartography. Through the documentation of local toponymy and its articulation with the surrounding landscape, the study establishes an analytical basis capable of informing future investigations into the relationships between toponymy and potential cultural heritage in the area. Additionally, it highlights its potential to raise awareness among the local population of the surrounding river landscape, fostering the construction of a shared social imagination through activities that engage different age groups and promote knowledge dissemination.

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Extensive toponymy,Intangible cultural heritage,Riverine landscape,Geographic information systems (GIS),Spatiotemporal distribution

• Social and Economic Geography - Social Sciences
• Arts (arts, history of arts, performing arts, music) - Humanities

This publication is associated with the following record:

• Tracing Riverine Lives: A Diachronic Spatial-Toponymic Analysis in Vila Nova da Barquinha, Portugal