Lime mixed with sand made a very hard paste that was used as cement between stones or bricks, and also as a disinfectant.
In this place there are up to 3 very close lime mines, which take advantage of a nearby vein. These were in operation from at least 1940 to 1965.
They were known as the stairs of Las Vegas, or the path of the Nava, also by the name of their owners as the Calera de Antonio Muñoz and for the grouper Cieza.
These lime kilns have been in operation until the middle of the 20th century. the existence of this mineral in important, almost superficial veins has favored this industry, whose origins are lost in time, perhaps it already began with the first inhabitants in very remote times.
In this place there are up to three very close lime kilns, which take advantage of a nearby vein. These were in operation from at least 1940 to 1965.
They were known as the lime kilns of Las Vegas, or the road of La Nava, also by the name of their owners as the lime kiln of Antonio Muñoz and for the grouper Cieza.
They took advantage of the unevenness of the terrain to build the necessary infrastructure, which usually consisted of a round well about 2.5 meters wide and 3 or 4 meters high. In this way, almost half of the shaft was held by the earth itself, the lower part was where the fire that was to convert the limestone into quicklime was fed.
The fuel used for the burning was mainly wood and scrub from the surrounding area: mainly rockroses and heather. It was kept burning for at least 3 days and 3 nights, with careful attention to the care of the fire, as the stone required a strength and time that only the lime workers knew. after burning, the stone would need another two days to cool.
