HISTORY AND POINTS OF INTEREST
When talking about the history of salt, we can definitely state that it is about the history of the human race. Salt is deeply rooted in human culture, religion, trade, and social and political development. It is necessary only to take a glimpse into history to be able to instantly find out that it was used as a means of payment, and that many wars came about because of it [some historians are certain of the theory that the first war ever, alongside the river Jordan, occurred directly because of salt.
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The ancient Chinese introduced a tax on salt and used it as a means of payment. Marco Polo noted that they printed the face of Great Khan in cakes of salt and used it as money, the Egyptians used it in the mummification process, the Greeks often exchanged slaves for salt, and the Romans paid their legionaries in salt and so on. The connection between salt, belief and tradition is clear if one is to follow the world religions. The Greeks worshipped salt in their rituals, in Judaism the temples offered salt, and Jesus called his disciples the 'salt of the earth'.
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Previously in Catholicism a small amount of salt was put on the child’s lips during their baptism. In the famous picture of ‘The Last Supper’ by Leonardo da Vinci, Judas is portrayed as having knocked over the saltcellar on the table, which was considered as a portent of evil and bad luck. Buddhists believed that spilling salt scared away evil spirits. In some Arab countries salt was used to seal an agreement and was a sign of great friendship. Some tribes worshipped the ‘Mother Salt’.
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Suspicious sailors never mentioned salt during sailing, and never threw it in the sea. In the Middle Ages, sea salt was an essential part of the cargo for caravans that travelled from the Mediterranean towards the interior. Endless examples can be given, but one thing is for sure, and this is that human history is very salty.
