Cartageneras (Spanish pronunciation: [kaɾtaxeˈneɾas]) are a flamenco palo belonging to the category of the cantes de las minas (in English, songs of the mines) or cantes minero-levantinos (eastern miner songs).
The origin of this particular style is attributed to traditional fandango from the miner area of Cartagena in the province of Murcia, in southern Spain.
Although earlier singers like Rojo el Alpargatero contributed to its development, it was Antonio Chacón who determined its definite flamenco form and made it popular in other areas.
But since Ramón Montoya (Chacón's usual guitarist), all the Cantes de las minas started to be sung in the key of D major, modulating to F# phrygian at the end of the stanza.
The chord used for the F# is in fact a rare chord, formed with the notes (from the 6th to the 1st string) F#, D#, F#, G, B, E. It was also at this time that the cantes de las minas started to lose their abandolao rhythmic pattern to become cantes libres (with no defined rhythmic pattern).