Summary

Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky reveals the fascinating and often surprising story of salt, a substance so ubiquitous and inexpensive today that we've forgotten its crucial role in shaping civilizations, economies, and even wars. From prehistoric times to the present, Kurlansky explores how salt's ability to preserve food and sustain life made it one of the most sought-after commodities in history.

The book begins with the earliest salt production, tracing its origins in ancient China and Egypt. The Chinese, with their inventive spirit, developed sophisticated brine wells and bamboo piping systems, while the Egyptians used salt not only for preserving food but also in their intricate mummification rituals. Kurlansky then follows the salt trade across the Sahara, where camels became the indispensable mode of transport, connecting North Africa's salt deposits with the gold, kola nut, and other riches of West Africa.

In Europe, the Celts emerged as early salt miners, their colorful clothes and advanced techniques preserved for centuries within the salty depths of the alpine mountains. The Romans, with their administrative genius, expanded salt production throughout their empire, developing saltworks and roads to transport this valuable commodity. The fall of Rome le a power vacuum in the Mediterranean, and Venice rose to prominence by controlling the salt trade, using its profits to dominate the spice and grain markets.

Salt also fueled the rise of northern European powers. The Basques, initially whale hunters, discovered the rich cod fisheries of the North Atlantic and developed a thriving trade in salt cod, a food that sustained Europe's poor for centuries. The Vikings, initially traders in slaves, discovered the value of salt and established trade routes from France's Bay of Bourgneuf to the Baltic. The herring fisheries of northern Europe exploded, transforming economies and leading to conflicts over control of both salt and fish.

France's complex and inequitable salt tax, the gabelle, became a symbol of royal oppression and played a role in fueling the French Revolution. In North America, salt was equally important, shaping trade routes and leading to conflicts between Native Americans and European colonists, and later between North and South in the American Civil War.

The Industrial Revolution brought new technologies to salt production, including canning, refrigeration, and vacuum evaporation. These developments gradually diminished the need for salt as a preservative, and salt fish lost its dominance in the world's diet. The discovery of vast underground salt deposits through improved drilling techniques transformed geology and opened the way for the petroleum age, as oil prospectors learned to drill salt domes.

In the twentieth century, salt became a powerful political symbol in India, where Mahatma Gandhi's famous salt march challenged British colonial rule. Today, big companies such as Morton and Cargill control much of the world's salt production, while small-scale traditional salt makers struggle to compete. Yet, there is a growing demand for artisanal salts, a renewed appreciation for the unique flavors and textures of traditional salt-cured foods, and a growing understanding of the long and fascinating history of this humble substance.