Naslov
Social and Historical Significance of the Salt in the mediteranean

Autori
Vesna Ivezic

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Skup
Medunarodni simpozij "Sociology at Sea"

Mjesto i datum
Zadar, Hrvatska, 27.09.2013. - 29.09.2013

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Ostalo

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
salt; culture of salt; historical meaning of salt; mediterranean identity;

Sažetak
Human obsession with salt started a long time ago, and until modern times, besides its use as a food supplement, and a principle way to preserve food, salt has political, economic and mystical significance for the lives of the people in the Mediterranean. Almost every part of the human body contains salt, which is, together with water, necessary component in the functioning cells. Seas of the world have this „salt and watter“ quality, so their areas have always been desirable for living. Seas during history meant life- giving people food nad salt. It is equally on the social level, where from the very dawn of humanity, salt was important and affected functioning of society. For millenia representing wealth, salt has been used as a medium of exchange, and very early was involved in the global system of trade nad communication. Salt was often used as a mean of payment, as a substitute for money. A term for payment, salary, comes from Roman salis.Salt meant independence, it was traded for and fought over, it meant friendship, wisdom and agreement between God and people, and made Mediterranean a „culture of salt“ society, where the history of salt production, salt roads, salt producers, had very important role. . Through history, salt had a political meaning as well, as it was a cause of war , it also ment independence. Salt and independence are deeply connected. A town or an island had to have its own salt source, to be independent. It was of a great importance to control salt sources. Salt is symbolically, directly, linked to the concept of wisdom, wisdom as „a grain of salt“ . Idiom „to have salt in a head“ for example, means „to have brains“, or latin, cum grano salis.Because salt prevents decay, it protects from harm. That's why salt is a symbol of friendship and blessing.. Loyality is sealed with salt, because ist essence doesn't change. Because symbolizing incorruptible purity, salt had an important, vital part in religion of many cultures.Salt is adapting to the demands of history: before regarded as an important ingredient of basic life necessities, now, besides its healthy and expencive version related to conteporary field of organic food, has evolved to a transcendental, symbolic level.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija

POVEZANOST RADA