The Maria de la Salut Town Hall

GEOGRAPHICAL INTRODUCTION

Maria de la Salut is a municipality of the plains of Mallorca. It borders with the municipalities of Santa Margalida, Muro, Llubí, Sineu and Ariany. It has a total area of 30.30 sq kilometres and a population of 2,173 inhabitants (data from 2004), who are called “mariers” or “mariandos”. It has a population density of 71.72 inhabitants per square kilometre, the highest among the municipalities of the plains of Mallorca. It has a clearly Mediterranean climate with irregular rainfall. The average yearly rainfall is 550 mm. Autumn is the wettest season and October the wettest month. On the other hand, July is the driest month. The mean number of days of rain varies from 47 to 77.The fluctuation in temperature is considerable. July is the hottest month and January and February the coldest.

POPULATION EVOLUTION

HISTORIC DESCRIPTION

Prehistory and ancient history

The oldest archaeological remains found in the municipality of Maria de la Salut date from the pre-Talaiotic period: the burial cave of els Set pilars in ses Rotes Noves de Montblanc and the cave of la Caseta del Garriguer, also in Montblanc. The former has an irregular ground plan and remains from the Bronze Age have been found in the site. Furthermore, there are over twenty archaeological sites distributed around the 30.30 square kilometres of Maria de la Salut. Most archaeological remains are in a poor state of conservation due largely to the tilling of the land since medieval times. The best preserved remains of the Talaiotic period are situated in la pleta des Pujolet preserving part of the walls surrounding the settlement, el Velar fortified settlement and the naviform structures of ses Rotes Noves de Montblanc. The remains from this period are located on small hills, near good farming land and separated less than one kilometre from each other. A bronze figure, lamps and pottery from different phases of the Talaiotic period have been found in these sites. Several estates, including es Pujol and Deulosal, were probably built on Talaiotic remains. The round talaiot of ses Tarragones was probably part of a larger site, which nowadays is very difficult to locate.

Roman period

The remains of a rural settlement in sa Torre de na Gil date from the Roman period. A fragment of an amphora of the Republican period (2nd and 1st centuries BCE) and imperial pottery used to transport and store liquids and solids are among the discoveries. The human occupation of the site began quite probably in the 1st century CE. The site was fully established during the 2nd century CE. Pottery from the Islamic period is evidence of a later occupation. Several imperial coins and lead pieces for water channelling indicate that it was quite an important site, maybe even a Roman villa. Its proximity to the royal channel and the shelter of the Muro hills made it a perfect site to build a house. Remains of Roman pottery have also been found in els Gassons, Sa Pleta des Pujolet and Deulosal. In this site, which is situated on a hill and between the plains of Deulosal and es Rafal, researchers have found only Roman pottery. It is mainly common pottery and terra sigillata ware.