Ethnographic element Sitja

Structure used to prepare coal, very common in wooded areas of the Tramuntana mountains.

The ‘sitja’ is divided into two parts. The ‘rotlo’ is a circular, dry-mounted stone platform that is in contact with the floor and slightly raised above ground level. It is covered with earth or stone paving. The wood to be burnt to obtain the coal was placed on top of it, forming a cone, with the larger-diameter trunks inside. Combustion was very slow (up to eight days), and the collier needed to supervise the fire and feed it with wood every day. The area around Caimari is full of holm oaks, which provided the best wood for good quality coal.