Salt
People living in present-day Romania boiled spring water to extract salts around 6000 BC. This process created briquetage, a method used by Neolithic people of the Precucuteni Culture. They extracted salt from salt-laden spring water at the Poiana Slatinei archaeological site near Lunca. The rapid growth of this society's population correlated directly with the harvest of salt from that operation. A salt works in China dates to approximately the same period, harvesting from Xiechi Lake near Yuncheng. Solnitsata in Bulgaria became Europe's first city as a salt mine providing the Balkans since 5400 BC. Salt was one of the best-known food preservatives for many thousands of years before modern refrigeration. Nomads subsisting on flocks and herds did not eat salt with their food. Agriculturalists feeding mainly on cereals needed to supplement their diet with salt.
Venice won the Salt War of 1304 against Padua over supplying the product in certain areas. The War of Ferrara took place between 1482 and 1484 for the same reason regarding supply control. The oppressive salt tax in France caused the French Revolution and remained until 1946. Napoleon reimposed the tax after its repeal to pay for his foreign wars. Mahatma Gandhi led a crowd of 100,000 protestors on the Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha in 1930. They made their own salt from the sea as a demonstration of opposition to the colonial salt tax. This act transformed the Indian independence movement into a national struggle. The El Paso Salt War occurred in El Paso in the late 1860s due to scarcity and universal need. Cities on overland trade routes grew rich by levying duties. Towns like Liverpool flourished on the export of salt extracted from mines in Cheshire. Slabs of rock salt were used as coins in Abyssinia before European arrival.
The greatest single use for sodium chloride is as a feedstock for chemical production. It produces caustic soda and chlorine for manufacturing polyvinyl chloride, plastics, and paper pulp. Total world production reached 300 million tonnes in 2018. China produced 68 million tonnes while the United States made 42 million tonnes. India contributed 29 million tonnes to the global total. Only a small percentage of manufactured salt goes to human consumption. Sea water has a salinity of approximately 3.5 percent containing dissolved ions per kilogram. Salt evaporation ponds fill from the ocean where crystals harvest as water dries up. Some species of algae thrive in conditions of high salinity creating vivid colors. The Sifto mine in Goderich, Ontario extracts about seven million tons annually from 550 meters below Lake Huron. The Khewra Salt Mine in Pakistan has nineteen storeys with eleven underground levels. Extraction of Himalayan salt is expected to last 350 years at 385,000 tons per annum. About half the material remains in place using the room and pillar method to support upper levels.
Sodium serves vital purposes via its role as an electrolyte helping nerves and muscles function correctly. It acts as one factor involved in osmotic regulation of water content in body organs. Most sodium in the Western diet comes from processed foods rather than natural sources. Habitual salt intake in many Western countries reaches about 10 grams per day. In the United States, 75 percent of consumed sodium comes from processed and restaurant foods. High sodium intake increases risk of stroke, total cardiovascular disease, and kidney disease. A reduction of 1,000 mg per day may reduce cardiovascular disease by about 30 percent. The World Health Organization recommends adults consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium daily. This amount equals 5 grams of salt contained within that limit. Guidelines for people with hypertension recommend limiting consumption to no more than 1,500 mg daily. Evidence shows a U-shaped relationship between sodium consumption and mortality risks. Increased mortality from excessive salt intake primarily associates with individuals having hypertension.
At Brahmanic sacrifices, Hittite rituals, and festivals held by Semites and Greeks, salt produced crackling noises when thrown into fire. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans invoked gods with offerings of salt and water. Lot's wife turned into a pillar of salt when looking back at Sodom and Gomorrah as they were destroyed. Jesus referred to his followers as the salt of the earth in the New Testament. Jews dip Sabbath bread in salt to preserve the covenant between their people and God. Salt is mandatory in the rite of the Tridentine Mass within Christian traditions. Aztec mythology features Huixtocihuatl as a fertility goddess presiding over salt and salt water. Hindus use salt in ceremonies like house-warmings and weddings as an auspicious substance. Jain devotees lay raw rice with a pinch of salt before a deity to signify devotion. Mahayana Buddhist tradition believes salt wards off evil spirits when thrown over the left shoulder after funerals. Shinto uses salt for ritual purification of locations and people called harae or shubatsu. Small piles of salt placed in dishes by entrances ward off evil and attract patrons.
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Common questions
When did people living in present-day Romania start boiling spring water to extract salts?
People living in present-day Romania boiled spring water to extract salts around 6000 BC. This process created briquetage, a method used by Neolithic people of the Precucuteni Culture at the Poiana Slatinei archaeological site near Lunca.
Which city became Europe's first city as a salt mine and when did it operate?
Solnitsata in Bulgaria became Europe's first city as a salt mine providing the Balkans since 5400 BC. It functioned as a major extraction point during this early period of European history.
What year did Mahatma Gandhi lead the Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha protest?
Mahatma Gandhi led a crowd of 100,000 protestors on the Dandi March or Salt Satyagraha in 1930. They made their own salt from the sea as a demonstration of opposition to the colonial salt tax.
How much sodium does the World Health Organization recommend adults consume daily?
The World Health Organization recommends adults consume less than 2,000 mg of sodium daily. This amount equals 5 grams of salt contained within that limit.
When was the oppressive salt tax in France repealed after causing the French Revolution?
The oppressive salt tax in France caused the French Revolution and remained until 1946. Napoleon reimposed the tax after its repeal to pay for his foreign wars before it was finally removed.