The lime kiln is a kiln for calcining limestone (calcium carbonate) to produce quicklime (calcium oxide). Limemaking was a traditional source of employment for Morón de la Frontera and an important feature of its culture and identity.
Due to its easy availability and value, lime was known from the earliest times. It was used in the construction of mortars and as a stabilizer in mud renders and floors from the early civilizations. Knowledge of its use for agriculture must have also been ancient, but the use of coal in the coalfields made it cheap for farming in the late 13th century, and an account of its use in agriculture is given in 1523.
Early descriptions of lime kilns are remarkably similar to those used for small-scale manufacturing a century ago. Because transport of materials like limestone and coal was difficult before the industrial revolution, they were shipped over the sea. Lime was most often made at coastal ports. Many of these kilns are still preserved today on quaysides around the coasts of Britain.
Since industrial lime has eclipsed lime production, kilns have fallen into disuse and the transmission of knowledge has ceased. The purpose of this project is to increase awareness of lime making and its importance of it. Additionally, the goal is to give living conditions for lime makers a boost. The Cultural Association of the Lime Kilns of Morón was founded, and it includes an ethnography center and a living museum that demonstrates the lime-making process in situ.
A restored lime kiln is being used to promote the development of lime techniques. Outreach activities in conjunction with Lime Craftspeople aim to recover expertise and techniques for use in sustainable construction. Audiovisual and print publications have also been produced as part of the program, and displays have been presented at trade shows.
Additionally, the association raises awareness and promotes traditional lime production with the Lime Museum of Morón, which receives around 4,000 students, professionals, and tourists annually, and works in cooperation with the craft production company Gordillos cal de Morón. The association conserves and restores the houses where the kiln workers and their families lived and worked. Frequently, the Museum arranges tours led by retired lime-workers, who illustrate the traditional process of lime-making and explain how Morón's landscape was co-created by the natural properties of the area, and the traditional practices of its inhabitants, mainly cattle herding, olive tree cultivation, and lime production. Currently, The Cal de Morón museum's training center also provides training to professionals throughout Spain for the revival of traditional trades.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/BSP/revitalization-of-the-traditional-craftsmanship-of-lime-making-in-morn-de-la-frontera-seville-andalusia-00511) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lime_kiln#Other_countries) (https://www.europanostra.org/spain-centuries-old-tradition-of-moron-artisan-lime-production-in-moron-de-la-frontera-celebrated/) (https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/winners/moron-artisan-lime/) |Subject=Craftsmanship and Practices |Country=Spain |SDG=(08) Decent Work and Economic Growth, (09) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, (11) Sustainable Cities and Communities, (12) Responsible Consumption and Production }}