What is "mursmacka"

Mursmäcka, also called bruksmäcka or only smäcka, was an historical profession for women in Sweden. A mursmäcka was a female construction worker with the task to hand mortar during construction work. The profession is recorded from at least 1691 (though it is not confirmed by name until the 1830s) and discontinued in 1922. This was a very hard but common work for a poor uneducated women during the 19th century, particularly in Stockholm. In July 1888, the Mursmäcka of Stockholm performed a great strike action which attracted considerable attention in contemporary Sweden.