A short history of salt

Salt, until 100 years ago salt was one of the most sought after commodities.  Its availability or lack thereof, influenced the location of major cities, provoked wars and revolutions.  It is so important to both men and beasts that it has been the subject of countless stories, fables and folktales.

Due to its importance in the human diet and as a food preservative, salt was one of the first commodities of trade.  The Egyptians used salt to preserve their mummies and salt production was one of the first industries in Egypt.  Egyptian wall art from as long ago as 1450 B.C. records salt making

China has a 4000-year-old written history and the earliest written record of salt production dates to about 800 B.C.   This account describes salt production during the Xia dynasty 1000 years earlier by putting seawater in clay jars and boiling them until the water evaporated leaving the salt crystals.  The Chinese emperors quickly realized since everyone needs to consume salt, it made sense for the government to control its production and trade.  Taxes on salt, until the 19th century, were a major revenue source for the Chinese.

The ancient Greeks had a far flung trade in salt involving the exchange of salt for slaves.  This trade gave rise to the expression, "not worth his salt." The Romans used the same production techniques as the Chinese to evaporate salt from water and spread this technique with their empire across much of Europe and the Middle East.  Salt was of crucial economic importance to the Romans. A special salt ration was given to early Roman soldiers, which was known as "salarium argentum," the forerunner of the English word "salary."      

Salt has played a vital part in religious rituals in many cultures.  It has symbolized immutable purity. Jewish temple offerings included salt.  On the Sabbath, Jews still dip their bread in salt as a remembrance of these temple offerings.   There are more than 30 references to salt in the Bible, using expressions like "salt of the earth."  In both the Old and New Testaments, covenants were sealed with salt, which is the origin of the word "salvation."

In the Catholic Church, salt is used in a variety of purifying rituals. Prior to Vatican II, salt was placed on a baby's lip at his or her baptism. Jesus called his disciples "the salt of the Earth." In Leonardo DaVinci's famous painting, "The Last Supper," Judas Iscariot has spilled a bowl of salt - a portent of evil and bad luck. To this day, the tradition endures that someone who spills salt should throw a pinch over his left shoulder to ward off any devils that may be lurking behind.

Salt played an important role in the European exploration of North America and the subsequent histories of the United States, Canada and Mexico.  The first Native Americans "discovered" by Europeans in the Caribbean were harvesting sea salt.  At the end of the 15th century, when European-fishing fleets discovered the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, the Portuguese and Spanish employed the "wet" method of salting their fish onboard.  In contrast, the French and English used the "dry" or "shore" method of drying and salting their catch on racks.  These fishermen became the first European inhabitants of North America since the Vikings. 

Venice rose to economic greatness through its salt monopoly. Salt making was also important in the Adriatic/Balkan regions.   Tuzla in Bosnia-Herzegovina name comes from “tuz," the Turkish word for salt.  Salzburg, Austria is named for salt and its salt mines are still a major tourist attraction.  

At the end of the 16th Century, because of the Dutch Revolt, the grand designs of Philip II to of Spain to control Europe ended.  One of the reasons the Dutch were successful was due to their blockade of the Iberian salt works, which led to Spain’s bankruptcy.

France has always been a major producer of salt and any discussion of salt making and distribution must include a discussion of the “gabelle,” or salt tax.  From 1630 to 1710, the “gabelle” increased tenfold. Besides high taxes, the production of salt was a monopoly, which led to salt shortages.  These problems were a significant cause for the French Revolution.   Thousands of Napoleon's troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal due to a lack of salt in their diets.

Salt plays a prominent role in the history of India including the Great Hedge and its role in the British salt starvation policy.  In modern times, Mahatma Gandhi defied British salt laws as a means of mobilizing popular support for self-rule in India.

Salt motivated the American pioneers. The American Revolution had heroes who were salt makers and part of the British strategy was to deny the American rebels access to salt.  The first patent issued by the British crown to an American settler gave Samuel Winslow of the Massachusetts Bay Colony the exclusive right for ten years to make salt using his process.  The Land Act of 1795 included a provision for salt reservations (to prevent monopolies) as did an earlier (1778) treaty between the Iroquois' Onondaga tribe and the state of New York.  New York has always been important in salt production. The famed Erie Canal, opened in 1825, was known as "the ditch that salt built" because salt, was originally its principal cargo. Syracuse, New York, to this day is proud of its salt history and its nickname: "Salt City."  

Salt played a key role in the Civil War.  In December 1864, Union forces made a forced march and fought a 36-hour battle to capture Saltville, Virginia, the site of an important salt processing plant.  Distress over the lack of salt undermine civilian morale in the South.