Image

Round plate decorated with an image of buildings and trees. There is a concave well in the center of the form.
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Unknown Maker, Italian

Salt Dish

Description

Maker

Unknown Maker, Italian

Culture

Italian

Title

Salt Dish

Year

1600s-1700s

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

lead-glazed earthenware

Dimensions

2.9 cm (1 1/8 inches) (height)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Mr. Eugene L. Garbaty

Object Number

51.112

Type

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Trading Earth
Ceramics, Commodities, and Commerce
Apr 09, 2022 – Jul 20, 2025

Label copy

Served from various ceramic and metal containers, salt is one of the five basic tastes, and essential for normal function of the human body—although too much salt can also cause health issues. Underscoring salt’s role in the history of world commerce, the word salary comes from the Latin sal, meaning salt, as Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt.

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Related Publications

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Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Italian
Salt Dish, 1600s-1700s
Earthenware with tin glaze, polychrome metal oxides, and glaze
2.9 cm (1 1/8 inches) (height)
Gift of Mr. Eugene L. Garbaty 51.112

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