Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
From the very first settlement in recorded history, early humans knew that to survive in the new age of agriculture, they'd need two things: access to water, and a source of salt. Without salt, our meats and vegetables wouldn't last long enough to help us survive droughts, monsoons, and long periods between harvests. Our bodies wouldn't have the necessary nutrients to live, and the entire experiment in building permanent villages might have failed. Salt tells the story of everything- as it was a foundational component of every culture, ever. And the lengths societies went to in order to procure the stuff...well that gave us innovations ranging from commerce to hydraulics to so much more. In this video we look at the origins of the salt trade. The myths and legends surrounding its discovery, and the incredible stories from the earliest days of history all the way to the 20th century that have followed humanity's long and important love affair with salt.
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Please consider supporting OTR on Patreon and thanks so much to anyone who does; your support truly keeps us going. patreon.com/OTRontheroad
Website: OTRontheroad.com
Instagram: instagram.com/otr.offtherails/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
FB: facebook.com/OTR-106170292218693
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0:00 - Introduction
1:07 - Salt Everywhere
4:36 - The Beginning
8:24 - Salted Fish
11:21 - Religion and Mythology
13:51 - Three Origin Stories
17:19 - The Early Salt Trade
19:54 - The Big Change
22:37 - Fish Sauce
25:54 - Riches and Salt Fortunes
28:03 - Ancient Rome
30:18 - Meat and Cheese
31:17 - Salt Wars
34:34 - Revolution and Resistance
37:33 - Salt in the Developing World
40:09 - Sausage and Sauerkraut
42:24 - On Every Table
46:32 - Burger and Fries
49:14 - American Salt History
51:17 - Conclusion
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Video Credits:
youtu.be/uQw2LrdEIis?si=Uy_0XBlURAtMy8LL
youtu.be/q2ZoHIKsz58?si=UfaB7WbynmJuQbu1
youtu.be/1_qgMtyx4Cw?si=3wlTvcj7QHIFIHyV
youtu.be/EMmyamL4VGw?si=vAbkBpdhodyFNUt3
youtu.be/hQgYj6y0IBg?si=iAByaG2qiGkTE5CJ
youtu.be/KRgX8S7EU8s?si=pmIK-CrtKU-DNnM6
youtu.be/W5jRgfdsZN0?si=SarZq1jKxDsont0k
youtu.be/iQO5MWBx2ww?si=U3Fuyn0kqM6azL-5
youtu.be/hGDvvUNU-cw?si=1UBg4xoJaX8Ev6Lf
youtu.be/KLgLaI4EU2k?si=SdepKsf_-QMQq8S6
youtu.be/L6k2Ps-aC0M?si=2b5WtfAfuuQlkRa-
youtu.be/N9i8V-t82CA?si=C9FKoyNFCecZrXN6
youtu.be/0vVyw2rVA4Q?si=1eENcIhWeLPANCKi
youtu.be/hnfWkB60WRE?si=czZyMJ_js8oOVvJH
youtu.be/Z3C2j0jnWx4?si=CiH1CgMMzGKqF5xp
youtu.be/EQPtjnfLZRk?si=I0ucp8VWA9UAciAc
youtu.be/JOqxkNvn-2E?si=1rh9SDVe6MoMoitY
youtu.be/KNV4oOieWUA?si=yjQrZVIKDDSdqALw
youtu.be/IqflhSBhvnI?si=cZbmGhYyPYEltQRu
From the very first settlement in recorded history, early humans knew that to survive in the new age of agriculture, they'd need two things: access to water, and a source of salt. Without salt, our meats and vegetables wouldn't last long enough to help us survive droughts, monsoons, and long periods between harvests. Our bodies wouldn't have the necessary nutrients to live, and the entire experiment in building permanent villages might have failed. Salt tells the story of everything- as it was a foundational component of every culture, ever. And the lengths societies went to in order to procure the stuff...well that gave us innovations ranging from commerce to hydraulics to so much more. In this video we look at the origins of the salt trade. The myths and legends surrounding its discovery, and the incredible stories from the earliest days of history all the way to the 20th century that have followed humanity's long and important love affair with salt.
-
Please consider supporting OTR on Patreon and thanks so much to anyone who does; your support truly keeps us going. patreon.com/OTRontheroad
Website: OTRontheroad.com
Instagram: instagram.com/otr.offtherails/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
FB: facebook.com/OTR-106170292218693
-
0:00 - Introduction
1:07 - Salt Everywhere
4:36 - The Beginning
8:24 - Salted Fish
11:21 - Religion and Mythology
13:51 - Three Origin Stories
17:19 - The Early Salt Trade
19:54 - The Big Change
22:37 - Fish Sauce
25:54 - Riches and Salt Fortunes
28:03 - Ancient Rome
30:18 - Meat and Cheese
31:17 - Salt Wars
34:34 - Revolution and Resistance
37:33 - Salt in the Developing World
40:09 - Sausage and Sauerkraut
42:24 - On Every Table
46:32 - Burger and Fries
49:14 - American Salt History
51:17 - Conclusion
-
Video Credits:
youtu.be/uQw2LrdEIis?si=Uy_0XBlURAtMy8LL
youtu.be/q2ZoHIKsz58?si=UfaB7WbynmJuQbu1
youtu.be/1_qgMtyx4Cw?si=3wlTvcj7QHIFIHyV
youtu.be/EMmyamL4VGw?si=vAbkBpdhodyFNUt3
youtu.be/hQgYj6y0IBg?si=iAByaG2qiGkTE5CJ
youtu.be/KRgX8S7EU8s?si=pmIK-CrtKU-DNnM6
youtu.be/W5jRgfdsZN0?si=SarZq1jKxDsont0k
youtu.be/iQO5MWBx2ww?si=U3Fuyn0kqM6azL-5
youtu.be/hGDvvUNU-cw?si=1UBg4xoJaX8Ev6Lf
youtu.be/KLgLaI4EU2k?si=SdepKsf_-QMQq8S6
youtu.be/L6k2Ps-aC0M?si=2b5WtfAfuuQlkRa-
youtu.be/N9i8V-t82CA?si=C9FKoyNFCecZrXN6
youtu.be/0vVyw2rVA4Q?si=1eENcIhWeLPANCKi
youtu.be/hnfWkB60WRE?si=czZyMJ_js8oOVvJH
youtu.be/Z3C2j0jnWx4?si=CiH1CgMMzGKqF5xp
youtu.be/EQPtjnfLZRk?si=I0ucp8VWA9UAciAc
youtu.be/JOqxkNvn-2E?si=1rh9SDVe6MoMoitY
youtu.be/KNV4oOieWUA?si=yjQrZVIKDDSdqALw
youtu.be/IqflhSBhvnI?si=cZbmGhYyPYEltQRu
