Today as they were over 600 years ago chimineas are still utilized as fireplaces however chimineas are also gaining popularity as decorative accent pieces in the yard and garden. Recently featured in an article in Architectural Digest, chimineas have become revered by some of today's top designers. They can now be seen accommodating everthing from a bouquet of flowers to towels in the bath. Chimineas (chim-in-ee-as) or Chimeneas (chim-in-ay-as). There are several ways to spell and pronounce the name but they all refer to the same thing. A Mexican, clay, outdoor fireplace. Chimineas were originally used indoors to take the chill out of the air during the evening hours. In the morning bread was cooked over the hot coals. Some form of Chiminea has been used by many cultures around the world. The exact date and origin is not known however in one form or another clay fireplaces ahve been around for hundreds of years. Chiminea Materials Chimineas are currently made of several different materials. Iron and clay seem to be the most popular. Types of clay used in the manufacturing of Chimineas are El Barro and terracotta.