The history of salt

Alexander the Great came across the Himalayan salt deposit during his rampage through Asia. His men and horses were weary and dying from lack of salt minerals until his horses began licking outcrops of exposed salt, and he noticed that they immediately were restored to full health and strength with sufficient water intake. His men also began to eat the salt and of course he went on with his army and waged war on many tribes and travelled thousands more miles, after trading much of his pillaged gold for the salt. From this came the saying, “you cannot eat gold”, as a pointer to the salt’s true worth to our life.

In ancient days, everybody that could afford it had salt. Salt was used for many things around the home, not just food, but also for warding off disease, wound dressing, cleaning teeth and the body, as a saline solution, even cleaning the house and many other things. Some people used to receive their salt in a large block and it is said that the saying “you’re a chip off the old block” came from this. It is also folk lore that during the deadly plagues in Europe and around the world, those who had regular access to the salt often had their life spared. Captain Cook carried salt on his boats as a preservative and for the minerals in the food. In the days of kings and queens, those who could not afford it sat ‘below the salt’, while the royalty were ‘above the line of salt’. The royal court always had control of the salt production and distribution.

But salt was always difficult to come by and it became a highly valued item of trade. So valued in fact that it served as a monetary exchange. The word ‘salary’ is a direct reference to salt, as in ancient times Roman soldiers and others where paid in salt. The Latin word ‘salarium’ means payment in salt. Salt was treated with extreme value and as a sign of ‘goodness’, hence the terms “you’re worth your weight in salt”, or “you are a salt of the Earth person”. The Romans built roads specifically for making the transportation of salt more convenient. One such road, the Via Salaria, led from Rome to the Adriatic Sea where salt was produced by evaporating seawater, a common method still used today.

Salt has many legendary references; another was as a means to ward off ‘evil’ spirits (e.g. disease) by traditional ‘Shamans’ and as a sign of good luck, “take it with a pinch of salt!” These old cliché sayings are actually pointing us to the literal truths, they have been preserved through the ages as clues for us to now remember the simple ways of living in harmony with nature and the main elements of life. The word salt comes from the Latin term ‘Sal’, which in turn comes from the word ‘Sol’. This is connected with Solé, which literally means ‘liquid sunshine’, a general term we would know is brine or saline.

In times past, common rock salt was given to the common people and the highly valued crystal salt was reserved for royalty.

As we moved towards agriculture and the domestication of animals, the demand for salt increased. Besides being valued as a seasoning, we discovered the ability of salt to preserve food. This opened the possibility for traveling and carrying our food with us.

History of Salt In Religion

There are thirty-five Biblical references to salt. In the New Testament, Matthew 15:3, Jesus speaking to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.” Thus telling them how valuable they were.

Salt has a long history of use in rituals of purification, magical protection, and blessing. Salt has been used throughout the ages as a ward against negative energies or evil spirits. In Germany salt was put into the corners of the home where newlyweds were to reside to dispel any ‘bad’ or negative energy.

In Jewish tradition they dip their Challah or bread in salt on Shabbat.

How about the word ‘salvation’? Sal is Latin for salt where salt has been used traditionally in the Catholic Church for a number of purifying rituals. Take a close look at Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper. You’ll see how Jesus’ disciple, Judas, has spilled over a bowl of salt, an omen of the evil or wrong deed about to be perpetrated. We still keep this tradition alive today when we throw a pinch of salt over our shoulder to ward off any evil spirit that may be behind our backs.

Sumo wrestlers of Japan throw salt into the ring before a match to purify and sanctify the area and drive away any evil spirits.