First salt making in Europe: a global overview from Neolithic times

In: Brigand R., Weller O. (Eds.) Archaeology of Salt. Approaching an invisible past. — Leiden: Sidestone Press, 2015. — pp. 67-82.This paper deals with the origin of salt production and discusses different approaches ranging from technology, ethnoarchaeology and paleoenvironmental studies to chemical analyses. Starting from the current research on the Neolithic exploitation of salt in Europe, we examine the types and nature of the salt resources (sea water, salt springs, soil or rock), the diversity of archaeological evidence as forms of salt working. We also scrutinize the types of production for these early forms of salt exploitation, with or without the use of crudely-fired clay vessels (briquetage). Finally, we contextualize the socio-economic dimensions and highlight both the diversity of salt products, as well as their characteristics, which go well beyond dietary roles.