Subbetica
El Tejar
El Tejar is a hamlet in the municipality of Benamejí, in the province of Córdoba. It is situated in the south of the municipality, on the border with the province of Málaga. It has a population of approximately 170.
El Tejar can be reached via the N-331 road or via the Córdoba-Málaga motorway (A-45).
History
El Tejar has been the cradle of the great pottery tradition that has flourished in this area for over 2,000 years. Due to its location, this hamlet served as a permanent settlement along the route between Córdoba and Málaga for the Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and Christians, and as an inn or resting place to tackle the arduous task of fording the River Genil. In fact, many remains of Roman pottery are still visible in the vicinity of this village. In El Tejar, in addition to kilns for bricks and roof tiles, there were others dedicated to firing pottery, jugs, bowls and other everyday items. All the clay was extracted from the same site, and the kilns were circular in plan with a vaulted roof, of the Moorish type, whilst the potter’s wheel was tall and pedal-operated. There is no record of glazed pottery, but a specific type of jug was produced. This tradition dates back centuries and was passed down from father to son. They usually bear no decoration, like most everyday items, and some feature small dots around the rim above the belly. The shape of the El Tejar jug, with its distinctive local profile, adds to the variety of this piece in the south of the province of Córdoba and at the same time highlights conceptual differences in craftsmanship within an area that saw significant pottery production. The defining features of our jug are its slightly striated walls, very narrow rim and a single handle. Pottery production in the area ceased definitively in 1985 due to the mechanisation of tile and brick production, and the arrival of running water in homes, as the jugs were primarily used for carrying and storing water. Furthermore, plastic replaced clay as the material used in the manufacture of these utensils. Today, there is still an original pottery kiln and many pieces produced there, which we will soon be able to see at the Benamejí Museum.
Restaurants in El Tejar
-Restaurante Carmona: Ctra. Córdoba, Málaga, Km. 98.5 Benamejí 14915 Spain
957530169
Email: info@restaurantecarmona.com
Website:http://www.restaurantecarmona.com/
-Reina Restaurant: Córdoba-Málaga Road, Km 98, Benamejí 14915, Spain
957 530 655
-El Puente Restaurant: Aldea El Tejar, s/n Benamejí 14915 Spain
957530900