Date Published: 30/04/2021

Artesanos de la Sal documentary about salt crafting in Torrevieja

The craft of making miniature models out of salt is in danger of disappearing from the Torrevieja salt lakes.

The University of Alicante (UA) has produced a documentary which includes English subtitles, about the traditional salt craft found in Torrevieja entitled “Artesanos de la Sal” which has been made by the UA’s Image Workshop and produced by Torrevieja’s Town Hall.

The documentary is about the historic activity of salt crafting, a deeply rooted tradition amongst salt lake workers in Torrevieja and an art form that is in danger of disappearing.

“Artesanos de la Sal” features salt crafters Juan Pujol, Manuel Sala and Miguel Pérez and follows the process of crafting model sailing boats and other decorative objects out of salt.

First, the models are made out of wood and cane, and lined with cotton cloth, before being submerged in the salt salinas, in specific conditions of salinity, normally when the process of evaporation which gradually removes the water from the saline mix has become so concentrated that the water turns a deep pink in colour.

Once this point is reached the water evaporates very quickly, leaving the salt to dry out ready for harvesting.

When the salt precipitates (also known as precipitation crystallization), it remains uniformly adhered to the models in a thin layer, creating the final product, the models appearing to be entirely made from salt. Most of the models created tend to have a nautical theme as the salt enables modelmakers to create detailed rigging, complete with sails and ropes in astonishing detail, but in the Museo del Mar y el Sal in Torrevieja a selection of models can be seen, including one of the parroquial church , all made in this traditional fashion. Entry to the museum is free of charge, celebrating the whole history of salt production in the area. Click for full info about the museum, with opening hours and a map.

These models are unique and are an important part of the tradition surrounding Torrevieja’s salt lakes, but are made by very few people, this video featuring some of the alst known practitioners of this traditional craft.