The woman in the tile factories of Villafranca de los Caballero

Abstract

This study on the tile factories and pottery work in Villafranca de los Caballeros (Toledo) analyzes both the timing and the causes of their disappearance. It highlights the influence of weather on tilemaking, especially rainfall, and the location of each factory in relation to the town. Each part of the tile factory is described (the kiln itself, the threshing floor, the kiln, and the pit), as well as the materials (clay and firewood), the shape, and the tools used in each task (grinding stone, hoe, frames, hoes, pickaxes, rakes, etc.). The tasks performed are also described (extraction of the earth and mixing of the clay, cutting, laying, firing of the finished product, storage, and sale of the resulting products), and the social standing of the tile maker and their work is emphasized. Finally, the relationship of the guild with Saint Mark, their venerated patron saint, and the celebration of his feast day are discussed.