The Salt Valley of Añana

Salado Valley , inward the town of Añana , inward northern Kingdom of Spain , is rich inward common salt but the terrain is unwieldy. Especially , at that topographic point is a shortage of apartment , opened upward Earth where brine could live allowed to evaporate in addition to common salt could settle. This has Pb to the evolution of but about impressive structures consisting of staggered evaporation terraces , built amongst rock , woods in addition to clay , in addition to a network of wooden channels that carry the common salt H2O past times gravity from the springs to the common salt complex. This special saline landscape amongst its unique salt-related architecture , built to conform to the complex topography of the site , is i of the most spectacular in addition to best preserved cultural landscapes inward Europe.

Salado Valley’s common salt history goes dorsum past times 6 yard years , although dorsum inward those times , common salt was extracted past times a dissimilar process. Salt H2O was collected inward large ceramic pots in addition to placed over a burn until all the H2O had boiled away. The alter inward the evaporation organization from forced to natural took house inward the starting fourth dimension century BC , when this surface area inward the due north of Kingdom of Spain was taken over past times the Roman Empire. The starting fourth dimension common salt pans were built of compacted clay amongst raised edges. Later ones were built of wood. There are currently over 2 ,000 common salt pans inward Salado Valley.

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Photo credit: I fundacionvallesalado/Panoramio

The common salt was originally deposited well-nigh 200 1000000 years agone when an ancient sea that i time covered this valley dried up. Over fourth dimension , the common salt layer got buried nether newer deposits. Usually , surreptitious common salt deposit such every bit this has to live mined , but the residents of Añana are fortunate plenty to hit got several natural springs that select the common salt to the surface. The brine carries every bit much every bit 210 grams of common salt per liter of water.

The common salt production flavour varies annually depending on conditions conditions. It commonly begins inward May in addition to lasts until September. After September , the long nights delay the evaporation procedure in addition to the constant pelting spoils the minor amount of common salt obtained. During the residual of the twelvemonth , the common salt workers perform maintenance run on the common salt farm , preparing them for the side past times side season. The packaging run , yet , continues all twelvemonth round.

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