History of Salt

In the old world, salt played an important role in the development and expansion of trade routes. The major highway in Rome was called the Via Salaria (Salt way), and soldiers transported large amounts of salt along the Tiber River from the salt pans at Ostia. The word 'salary' stems from the "salarium argentum" or salt ration these soldiers received.
In darkest Africa salt was so sought after that headmen were even prepared to trade their wives and children for small amounts of salt. Even Western kings took advantage of the scarcity of salt. During the days of the French monarchs the common people (not the aristocracy) were forced to buy their salt from his majesty and when the state coffers were running low, he simply increased the salt quota each family was allowed to purchase.

In ancient documents from China reference is made to salt as far back as the time of king Ji, who lived almost 4200 years ago. There are salt mines in India that were worked in the days of Alexander the Great, more than three hundred years before Christ, and in Poland there are active salt mines that have been in production for 700 years. In South America, the Aztecs even worshipped a salt goddess.

However, in many areas salt was rare and even unknown. 2900 Years ago the Greek poet, Homer, wrote about people who did not know of the sea and had no knowledge of salt. 900 Years later, the Roman historical writer, Sallustius, referred to nomadic tribes in the Numidian desert in North Africa who did not use salt in their food. There are still tribes who use little or no salt, such as the Bedouin of North Africa and also some tribes in Central Africa.