SALT THROUGH THE AGES

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

SALT THROUGH THE AGES

What It Has Meant

Neither man nor beast can live with out sail, it is essential to the health of all living things. The Romans paid wages in salt--whence the word

"salary." "True to his salt" meai.'l loyal to his employer, who paid him his "age. "To spill the salt"—i.e.. to lose hard-earned cash —was a hit of bad luck: so grew the superstition that it is unlucky to spill salt. The Jews used 'sail in sacrifices, and ■'pilling the salt after it bad been placed on the victim's head was held lo be a bad omen.

Salt Ims always been considered an emblem of purity: witness Ibe Disciples being called "the salt of the earth." The plira-e. "If salt lias lost its savour wherewith shall it be salted?” refers to rock-salt, which loses much of its saltness if exposed to the hot sun.

The Arabs considered the eating of a m'att’s salt formed a sacred bond between host and guest, lifter which neither should harm or speak ill of the other. Should a refugee seek asylum and arrive at the Arab’s tent with his pursuer hot on liis heels, the Arab would till the palm of his hand with salt, holding this out if lie decided to protect him. spilling it on the ground if he refused to give aid.

In mediaeval days the family saler. or salt-cellar, was a massive piece o'f silver, placed half-way up the long fable at which the head of the family and his guests and retainers dined. Persons of distinction sat nearer the head of tlie table, above tlie salt-cellar; the more humble folk near the foot, below it. So came the expression of compliment or respect, “to sit above the salt.” Many folk in Scotland deemed the power of salt to be so great that, when brewing, it was their custom to throw a handful of salt in the mash—to keep witches away I Even today some people sprinkle salt in a coffin, since Satan hates it. as it is the symbol of purity and immortality. A common misquotation is: "Help you to salt, help you to sorrow” —this should be. “Hein you to salt, help you in sorrow’’—and bears a very different

meaning. On more than one occasion Shakespeare uses the term “salt” as an expression of amorous passion. He refers. also, to' the “salt of our youth.” The modern saying: “Not worth one’s salt.” means not worth the expense of the food one eats; “He won’t earn salt for his porridge,” that he'll never make any money. That salt is considered a substance of great value is shown again by the phrase used in the business world, “to salt an invoice,” meaning to put the highest possible value on the goods concerned.