El “travertino rojo de Mula” una roca histórica y una herramienta para la divulgación y puesta en valor del patrimonio

Resumen

Baños de Mula red travertine has been used in construction from Roman times to the beginning of the 20th century. This rock came from two outcrops located on two hills called Alcala and La Almagra (Mula, Region of Murcia, SE Spain). Its striking colour, along with its mechanical properties and its good behaviour against water, are the main reasons that led to its use. In this paper are reported the results of an inventory of constructions (civil, religious and private) that have this material in the region of Mula. 189 places have been catalogued, 34 religious buildings, 117 private houses and 38 civil engineering works, in addition to archaeological site of Villaricos. 31 places of them are in bad state and 158 are in good condition. With this information and taking into consideration the archaeological evidence and stratigraphic criteria, an attempt has been made in order to identify the area exploited during the mining activity. The final aim of this work is to contribute to enhance the knowledge of this singular rock, bringing to the neighbours of the region the great geodiversity of its surrounding.