History of Salar
The name appears to derive from the Roman word "Sall", which comes from the Latin "Sallere" (meaning ‘salt flat’). Evidence of human occupation in various parts of the Salar region dates to the Late Neolithic period, with Acheulean artifacts found in some nearby caves. Later Roman occupation is evident at the Gabino ruins, where numerous coins, fibulae, and small ornamental statuettes from the Late Roman period, probably dating from the 3rd or 4th century AD, have been discovered.
Aside from numerous toponymic elements, the Arab occupation left behind a well-preserved, privately owned tower. The town was once surrounded by a walled enclosure, providing a stronghold for its defence. On 29th May 1486, Hernán Pérez del Pulgar y Osorio captured it, making it a fiefdom and entailed estate of the Pulgar family, a status it retained until the early 20th century.
From 1559, the town was embroiled in jurisdictional disputes with the city of Loja that lasted until 1817, finally ending with a tacit agreement between the two towns.
It participated in all the tumultuous events of the 19th century, including the Spanish War of Independence (Peninsular War) from 1808 to 1814 against the French and the 1861 Loja Revolt. The latter was led by Rafael Pérez del Álamo, a local blacksmith, who drew significant support from the town’s landless labourers and small farmers protesting poverty, unequal land ownership, and political exclusion. Antonio Rosas Moreno lost his life because of his leadership role in this uprising and became a symbol of peasant resistance.
The more famous event occurred on 18th February 1883, when Antonio Enciso y Vico, administrator of the powerful Rodríguez-Acosta banking family, was murdered near Salar. At the time, the Rodríguez-Acosta family controlled the Marquis of Salar estates. Enciso managed these lands and enforced the owners' interests. His strict management style made him deeply unpopular among many villagers. By 1882–83, Salar had become divided into opposing factions. Demonstrations, threats, and political disputes escalated until several local men ambushed Enciso on a road outside the village and killed him. The crime became known nationally as the "Crimen de Salar" (Crime of Salar).