Cantería (marble quarrying) in Macael

Cantería (Marble quarrying) in Macael has been characterised by a singular landscape of marble exploitation in the open air since ancient times, and above all, it exemplifies a specific way of existence and culture of artisanal work.

Marble is the axis around which the culture, ethnography, society, economy, traditions and, in short, a good part of the life of the town of Macael revolves. The quarries of Macael have traditionally been communal by Muslim inheritance as indicated in the Libro de Apeos (1573): “they have always been free and common to all”. Although in 1919 this situation was endangered by the attempt to privatise the quarries, the resolution of this conflict with the 1947 ruling that endorsed this public character, meant the safeguarding of this status. This communal use of the quarries is an example of the relationship between a community and its territory and of the use of a natural resource by the community of Macael in a sustainable way. Currently, Macael Town Council is the concessionaire of the mining exploitation, granting exploitation permits, traditionally to local companies.

The cantero (quarry worker) is the central element of Macael marble quarrying. He has enjoyed a special status since ancient times. His knowledge has been kept as a treasure, transmitted from generation to generation, from fathers to sons, so most of the canteros were local, while the foreign population was dedicated to remove the waste stone as labourers. These artisan stonemasons carried out their work either in the quarry, extracting the marble from the bancada (staggered levels), cleaning and “squaring” the blocks in the placeta (a space located at the foot of the bancada where the extracted blocks are taken in order to prepare them for transport to the factories); or in the workshop, cutting the slabs, carving shapes or finishing the surfaces.

It is a vocational trade, even today, in which identity and tradition have a great influence. Although the trade of cantero and other associated trades have always been highly masculinised, women are gradually joining the marble workshops, taking on specialised jobs.

With regard to the marble extraction process, three main phases can be distinguished: the despizarre, which consists of the withdrawal of the unusable materials that cover the marble layer, the arranque (removal) which consists of separating the marble block from the bancada, and the preparation of the block for transport. With the arrival of the industrial revolution new methods emerged, both for extraction and for subsequent processing. From the 1960s onwards, the industrialisation of the quarries gradually took place.

Associated with the extraction of marble, an important craftsmanship of handmade marble objects developed in Macael, which took place in workshops that were generally located on the outskirts of the village, in the direction of the quarries. The most common objects produced originally were those of sumptuary and cementery art (crosses, tombstones, etc.), although the range of products later diversified and specialised: handrails, columns, fireplaces, fountains, tables, sculptures…

Period/Occurrence:

The work in the quarry, as it is carried out outdoors, has always been influenced by the weather. Easter week marks the transition to summer. At that time, the shades are prepared to provide protection from the sun. In October, the same is done for the winter: shades are dismantled and small bonfires are lit to warm the hands. The sunlight means that the working day is shortened, unlike during the summer.

Canteras de mármol. Paraje de la Puntilla. Photo: Ayuntamiento de Macael. © Instituto Andaluz del Patrimonio Histórico