Tools, means of transportation and recipients used for the extraction, storage and consumption of rock salt and brine in the extra-Carpathian areas (Romania)

Abstract

International audienceThe extensive investigation conducted by the French-Romanian team from 2011 onwards around the salt mountains and brine springs from the extra-Carpathian areas of Romania (more accurately in the south-eastern parts), identified several genuine practices of non-industrial extraction, transportation, storage and use of this mineral. These activities imply the use of specific tools (sometimes true tool kits), means of transport, storage faciliti es, etc. In some cases, the whole process is deeply influenced by the contemporary lifestyle with all its features (mechanization, plastic and so on), but usually we were able to identi fy several elements (objects, skills, specialization), preserved almost unaltered for centuries, which could provide hints in understanding artefacts, contexts and human behaviours determined by the need for salt from the historical and even the prehistoric past. This paper deals with such aspects mostly in an ethnographic manner, but without losing sight of the archaeological issues related to the ancient exploitati on of naturally occurring salt resources