The history of culture and art in Jaen is conditioned by its situation on the frontier between the Moors and Christians.
Some crafts have disappeared such as silk making, but the best known craft at the present time is the pottery of Andujar, with its grotesque jugs and familiar white and blue colouration. Ubeda pottery is also well known with the handsome ewer being one of its most representative objects, traditionally decorated with white oxide.
Bailen is known for its water ewers, jars and large bowls. Jaen is renowned for its crafts using vegetable fibre. There are records dating back to the 11th century showing the use of fibre crafts at Ubeda, and nowadays wicker and other fibres are used at Los Villares.
Artistic wrought iron work is done at Alcala la Real, Belmez de la Moraleda, Jaen, Martos, Mengibar, Ubeda and Torredonjimeno. Some of the products made include handrails, lamps, grilles. Ubeda is known for the lamp makers who make lanterns with tinplate and glass. The guitars of Marmolejo are widely known, as are the leather goods from Andujar and Porcuna, which are made for the farmers and hunters.