Sea Salt Differently

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1 Sea Salt Differently A History of Salt in Cornwall / Istori a Holan yn Kernow An exhibition presented by Plymouth University BSc (Hons) Archaeology students from Truro and Penwith College

About Us / Y gan kever We are Plymouth University BSc

collaboration with Helston Museum and the EcoSal

2 About Us / Y gan kever We are Plymouth University BSc (Hons) Archaeology students at Truro and Penwith College. This exhibition developed out of a recent collaboration with Helston Museum and the EcoSal Atlantis Project. From left to right: Paula Castle, Leah Cross, Ella-Jane Tarbuck, Michael Fraser-Brown, Ruben Cabral

Salt is a vital part of everyday life throughout human history. Sea Salt Differently is an exhibition which explores Cornish sea salt utilisation from the Bronze Age to present day.

3 Salt is a vital part of everyday life throughout human history. Sea Salt Differently is an exhibition which explores Cornish sea salt utilisation from the Bronze Age to present day. One of its first known The first evidence of extracting salt from saline water can be dated back to the Bronze Age in Cornwall. This exhibition explores how communities have developed the application of salt since this time. uses is food preservation which is still used today. Other uses include: antibacterial benefits, valuable trade commodity, dying clothes, livestock During the industrial age, French and Portuguese salt was imported to Cornwall, where large quantities were used for the fishing industry. Two-dimensional layer of Sodium Chloride feed in agriculture, tanning leather and producing pottery glazes. Sea Salt Differently as you follow our timeline...

Bronze Age In Bronze Age Britain, people lived in established settlements; farming, trading goods and ideas. It was an age of discovery of new technologies, like extraction through heating.

4 Bronze Age In Bronze Age Britain, people lived in established settlements; farming, trading goods and ideas. It was an age of discovery of new technologies, like extraction through heating. This would have included the extraction of salt as well as metal. In Britain much salt was extracted from seawater. In Cornwall, Bronze Age pottery associated with salt making has been This site is inland, though salt flats may have extended to the valley below back then. Archaeologists Andy Jones and Sean Taylor suggested the briquetage (see Roman Period) was brought to the roundhouse from the coast. Salt was highly valued as a food preservative: the only other alternatives were drying and smoking. Salt was possibly also used in tanning View from Trevilson Round House down to what were once possibly salt flats (Truro College Archaeology, 2015) identified at Trevilson roundhouse. and some cloth dying processes.

5 The river course from The Gannel salt marshes, Newquay The Industrial period would have caused the rivers to silt up. The salt marshes during the Bronze Age would have been closer to Trevilson Roundhouse

During the Roman period in Cornwall, Calstock in the Tamar Valley. The salt there were salt works at Trebarveth, Ebber Rocks, Carngoon Bank on the Lizard and Gwithian on the North coast of Cornwall.

6 During the Roman period in Cornwall, Calstock in the Tamar Valley. The salt there were salt works at Trebarveth, Ebber Rocks, Carngoon Bank on the Lizard and Gwithian on the North coast of Cornwall. Contrary to the popular view that the Romans were not present in Cornwall, there are a least three Roman forts in Cornwall at Nanstallon near Bodmin, Restormel near Lostwithiel and works give yet further evidence for Roman activity in Cornwall. At the time, salt was a very valuable resource due to its versatility. For this reason Roman military were partly paid in salt. The word salary derives from the Latin word sal meaning salt. Sea view from Romano-British salt works Camgoon bank on the Lizard (Truro College Archaeology, 2015)

Trebarveth salt works are located near Coverack on the Lizard. This area is also the prime source for the gabbroic clay from which the briquetage were produced.

7 Trebarveth salt works are located near Coverack on the Lizard. This area is also the prime source for the gabbroic clay from which the briquetage were produced. Gabbroic clay is thought to have been sacred to prehistoric people in Britain, although from its practical uses on this site, it appears the Romans did not have these same beliefs. Trebarveth salt works, St Keverne. (Truro Briquetage are coarsely made vessels The Romans would have used salt for College Archaeology, 2015) which are used to evaporate salt from similar reasons as in the Bronze Age. seawater through heating. They A common use would have been for were placed above rectangular ovens the Roman fish sauce garum, made made from local stones. from fermented fish guts and salt.

8 The Industrial Age Through electrolysis Humphry Davy, who came from Cornwall, was able to isolate for the first time a number of elements. In 1807, he isolated sodium (Na), the seventh most common element on earth. This was the first important step to at last understanding salt (Kurlansky, 2011). During the 18th and 19th centuries, salt was imported to Cornish ports Fish and salt were layered on the floor of a cellar until a bulk of 4ft in height had formed. After thirty to forty days the blood and oil which had seeped out would be collected. The fish would be squeezed flat with a heavy lid attached to a pressing pole fixed into the wall. The fish were mostly sold to Italian Catholics for religious fasting, especially for Lent. Engraving of Humphry Davy (Paris, 1831) from France and Portugal for bulk curing of pilchards. In addition the oil was used as a fuel for lamps.

9 Photograph of St Ives 1871, showing the salting and bulking of the pilchards. Photographer unknown. Used with permission from Herefordshire Archive Service.

12 Salt is a well used resource in modernday society. It is used in more than 14,000 different ways, such as gritting the roads to its use as a table condiment. Salt was used as far back as the Bronze Age where it was taken from the sea and transported inland in briquetage vessels. This allowed the salt to travel further and generate trade between coastal and inland settlements. Salt in the Romano-British period was used in trade and food preservation just as in prehistory. However, salt was also used as a currency which made salt an even more valuable resource. Salt in Cornwall during the Industrial Age increased international trade. Cornwall had imported salt from France and Portugal for bulk curing pilchards. Some of the fish were then sold onto Italian Overall salt has been a very important in human societies from as far back as the Bronze Age. Salt s biggest impact on Cornwall was its economy, opening up vital and prosperous international trade routes. Catholics for fasting and the oil for oil lamps.

13 Bronze Age Jones, A. M. & Taylor, S. R., What lies Beneath...St Newlyn East & Mitchell, Truro: Historic Environment Service, Cornwall County Council. Romano-British Peacock, D.P.S., 'A Romano-British salt working site at Trebarveth, St Keverne', Cornish Archaeology 8: Industrial Age Kurlansky, M The Story of Salt, London: Vintage Books

Cornish Sea Salt Company Helston Museum staff and friends James Gossip and Sean Taylor of Cornwall Archaeological

14 Acknowledgements Aswonvosow We would like to thank the following organisations and people: Sponsored by the Cornish Sea Salt Company. Cornish Sea Salt Company Helston Museum staff and friends James Gossip and Sean Taylor of Cornwall Archaeological Unit Matt Blewett & Sam Rogerson (MAGA Cornish Language Partnership) Herefordshire Archive Service Chris Sear, FdSc student at Truro and Penwith College Truro and Penwith College Premises and Publicity Teams

World History 3219 January 2017

World History 3219 January 2017 In the previous two units we investigated how the human experience changed as a result of innovation and new ideas. In this outcome your understanding of change will deepen