History of Dalias
The history of Dalias goes back a long time ago to when it was a millenarian territory with its prehistoric and Roman artefacts. Although the majority of those that are preserved in the municipality belonged to the Islamic period, El Cerroncillo and El Cerron were the first inhabited centres, where pieces from the Bronze Age have been found.
During the following centuries, the town was known as a small village in the 8th century, then it had a fortress in the 10th century and a mosque in the 13th century. This later period was when its economy was based on the production of silk, livestock and the marketing of aromatic plants.
The Moorish rebellion in 1568 left the village destroyed and devoid of inhabitants, until it was occupied by Christians attracted by the mildness of its climate and the richness of its soil. These conditions were well known by the Phoenicians and the Muslims as being ideal for grazing and the collection of natural resources. There was also extensive mining exploitation in the 19th century, in particular, silver galena that was processed by a total of 23 foundries.
The area's economy was then revived by the groundwater of the mountains, which after the decline of mining and the consequent deforestation of the mountains, allowed inhabitants to engage in agricultural activity dedicated to the production of grapes in orchards and vineyards, which evolved over the decades to the current cultivation of greenhouse crops.
The current city layout is a faithful reflection of its medieval origin, with whitewashed houses, orchards, narrow streets and irregular paths.
