More than you ever wanted to know about Black Salt - including how to make it
Helen E. Hansen
Sometimes heard of as an ingredient in folk magic, it has taken an
act of serendipity for me to locate just what Black Salt actually is. For
this I must express my gratitude to Mr. Mark Kurlansky, and his excellent
book 'Salt - A World History.' Published in 2002 in New York by the
Walker Publishing Company.
According to Mr. Kurlansky, salt was made in a vast variety of
ways, from the most ancient times. His book has many interesting details of
the times and processes, and is far more informative concerning salt making
and the salt trade than one could believe possible. However, the best salt
for the table has always been considered to be white salt of fine grain
structure. It is this salt which mass production has made possible for use
on our tables today. Until recently, it seems that salt was not always so
pure.
Salt, which we assume today to be pure sodium chloride, was
originally made of whatever material could be obtained from the 'salt licks'
or the seashore where it was made. Sea salt, preferred for many magical
operations, is composed of sodium chloride and a variety of other salts,
including potassium chloride and magnesium chloride. In fact, the
composition of seawater varies widely, especially in the trace elements it
contains, all over the world. What seawater actually consists of depends
very much on where the seawater is gathered.
One of the many ways in which salt was made in both Europe and
Africa was by burning the product of vegetable decomposition from the salt
marshes, which are common along seashores. This product of vegetable
decomposition is marsh peat, similar in some respects to peat moss, which is
used in gardening. The difference is that peat moss has had any salt
content removed by washing, and is generally gathered from specific growths
inland. Marsh peat has a salt content, sometimes relatively high, although
it is primarily decayed vegetable matter.
When marsh peat is burned, the product is a sea salt containing
ash, which when soaked in water will separate into salt brine and leave the
ashy residue. The salt brine may then be boiled or solar evaporated to
produce a white table salt, but the remaining ashy residue is often still
quite salty. As this residue contains the black ash of incomplete
combustion, it was often sold cheaply to the poor, to use in salting their
foods. Thus, black salt, was the ash containing salt of the poor.
Interestingly enough, in the area of Bogotá Columbia, a tribe of
Native American salt makers, the Chibchas made salt in the same way as it
was made in Africa, evaporating the salt from salt springs into a cone
shape. This salt was graded, the white salt being of the highest quality,
and sold to the rich. The black unpleasant tasting salt that was a residue
was sold to the poor.
The same practice was followed in Holland and in many other areas
where marsh peat was burned for salt, wherever tidal salt marshes were
located. This Black Salt is therefore a worldwide phenomenon. Today we can
probably substitute regular white salt in its place, although purists may
wish to add a bit of charcoal to give their salt a black color.
~-=-~
'Black Salt' from India - English Name : Black Salt. Persian
Name : Namak Siah. Sanskrit Name : Krishna Lavana. Hindi Name : Kala
Namak. Usually sold in commerce as a packaged pinkish or beige powdered
substance originating from India. 2001 Cost per Ounce about $1.75 which
equals about 1/8 cups. This material is not black, but rather it is pink or
beige in color. Used as a condiment in Indian cooking, Black Salt comes
from India, has a sulfur odor, and is quite salty. It is a mined and ground
mineral, and not further refined. The impurities are left in it to give the
dark color.
Indian Black Salt is a complex mineral compound with strong sulfur
content. It smells strongly of sulfur. The flavor hits quickly and then
dissipates to leave a rich mineral salt taste. The Indians consider it to
be perfect with seafood and use it in masalas and other dishes originating
from the Indian subcontinent.
~-=-~
Another 'Black Salt comes from Hawaii. Ocean water is purified
and the salt is made when the water is evaporated by the sun and wind. The
black salt is dried with black lava rock, while the red salt is dried with
red Alae clay. Both of these serve to add minerals to the product. The
finished salt is hand-harvested by salt farmers in Hawaii, just as solar
evaporated salt has been harvested for thousands of years. Natural sea salt
is probably one of the most complex mineral elements on Earth.
~ -=- ~
So far as using black salt is concerned, the Hawaii and Indian
version just won't do the job, they are not 'native' to either Europe,
Africa, or North America. The black ash containing marsh salt is what is
really desired if you are going to be a purist about your black salt.
~-=-~
Magical Uses
Black Salt is used to keep others from harming you, much as white
salt is used. A line of the salt may be put on your property line to
separate yourself from an obnoxious neighbor. Like white salt, it is
magically used to remove harmful or negative energies form items. Hexes,
and malochia are said to be washed away with its purifying energy. Magical
implements are to be washed in a bath of black salt and water. Then the
magician or witch may wash themselves in a bath of sea salt to purify
themselves and allow in only positive energies.
Binding poppets and 'voodoo dolls' may have some black salt added
to their filling to suit them for a more powerful outcome to the ritual you
are performing with them. Black salt may be used to dress candles, as well
as to sprinkle around ritual areas to keep negative influences away. Some
traditions make circles cast with salt, and it would seem that black salt
might have use here as well.
~-=-~
Making Marsh Salt:
Salt marsh salt is the forerunner or 'mother' of Black Salt. It
is made form the burning of Salt Marsh Peat, the organic decomposition of
the salt mash plants. The following describes the manufacture of this
interesting product. This was only one of the many ways that our ancestors
made salt in ancient times.
Cut the Salt Marsh Peat, you will need at least nine cubic feet of
the peat to gather enough salt to be worthwhile. The wetter the peat is the
better, but it must be wet with sea water, so do not gather it after a rain,
best gather it just as the sea tide is going down.
Dry the marsh peat, allowing it to dry thoroughly so that it will
burn. It must be dried out of the weather if it is rain or snow. However,
drying the peat in the sun is ideal.
Once the marsh peat is dried, burn it on an iron pan, so that you
can collect the ash. The ash will have the salt in it. This may mean that
you have to burn the peat a little bit at a time.
Collect the cold ash from the burned peat. Sweep it carefully
into a separation cone, or another large glass container. Once you have all
of the ash in the container, fill the container with water and stir it well,
allowing the salt to dissolve in the water. Now allow this water to sit for
a few days, so that all of the ash and other impurities settle to the bottom
of the container.
Once the ash has settled, ladle or siphon off the clear liquid on
top of the container. You should carefully remove at least half of the
liquid, possibly two thirds of the liquid from the container. Taste the
remaining liquid. If it is still quite salty, you can now refill the
container with fresh water, while setting out the liquid you have removed to
evaporate. If you refill the container, stir it again and allow it to
settle once again. Then draw off the clear liquid once it has settled, as
you did before. You may boil the liquid you have taken off, reducing it to
thick brine, which will float an egg. Once the brine is that thick, the
remainder may be evaporated in the sun, if desired.
The ashes remaining in the separation cone or other container need
not be boiled or heated, just set it aside in the sun so that the sun can
evaporate the remaining water. Once this reduces to sludge, taste it, it
should still be salty. Allow this to dry, forming it into small pats as it
becomes more thick. When ground, this ashy residue is your black salt.
~-=-~
Black salt falls in two main categories - fake and real.
Fake black salt is manufactured - someone has dyed this salt
black. I am not a geologist so forgive me if the following statement lacks
a professional touch... Black salt is also obtained as a by-product of iron
ore. This salt is very high in iron content (which becomes very obvious if
one holds a magnet near it). While this can be used in ritual work, it
simply would not be my choice to do so. I know that you did not ask about
using it in salt-water reef tanks but if the thought crosses the minds of
any other readers... do not use fake black sea salt in an aquarium. It
will kill everything in your tank.
Real black sea salt comes from areas that have been formed by
volcanoes. It can be obtained in Hawaii however they will not sell their
black sea salt - it was a gift to them from their deities. Several islands
in the Caribbean also mine black sea salt - it is rarely sold here either.
I believe that there is a black sea salt being mined in India but I may be
wrong about its exact location so I won't mention it. Silver Stitches,
www.silverstitches.com, carries real Black Sea Salt in their Witch Shop. We
obtain ours from the Caribbean but it is a bit pricey. Darrell on November
13, 2002
~-=-~
February 2003 - Black salt being sold in occult stores varies from $ 1.50 an
ounce to $ 2.50 an ounce. By the pound the price ranges from $ 9.95 to $
20.00. JMH
~-=-~
hei yan = literally: "black salt." "Black salt," or vida, is still used in
Indian cooking today. It is first mentioned in the two great Indian epics,
the Ramayana and Mahabharata where it was prohibited from being used in
ceremonies for the ancestors. Charaka, who is said to have been the
personal physician of the Kushan Emperor Kanishka, and is famous as the
"father of Indian medicine," included it in his list of five types of salt -
Achaya (1994), pp. 37, 86.
Black salt is produced by fusing rock salt with Indian Gooseberry, the
astringent fruit of an Indian tree Phyllanthus emblica, which is also used
for tanning and making inks. It is employed in Indian medicine as a tonic,
aperient or laxative. Monier-Williams (1899), p. 962. (?)
Also of interest is the information kindly sent to me as a personal
communication by John Moffett, Librarian, East Asian History of Science
Library, Needham Research Institute, on 7th September, 1999: "I have not
been able to find hei yan in modern Chinese herbals, but here is what I have
got. As usual, Laufer's Sino-Iranica is the most informative (Chicago:
Field Museum of Natural History, Publication 201, 1919), p. 511:
"The Pei hu lu distinguishes red, purple, black, blue, and yellow
salts... Black salt (hei yen) was a product of the country Ts'ao (Jaguda)
north of the Ts'un lin [Sui shu, ch. 83 p.8]. It is likewise attributed to
Southern India [Tang Shu, Cj. 221 A, p. 10b]. These colored salts may have
been impure salt of minerals of a different origin."
The Han yu da ci dian, vol. 11 p. 1341 merely says it is a "salt
used in medicine," and quotes the Li Xiaobo zhuan in the Bei Shi, "... black
salt treats abdominal distention and fullness of qi..." It does not look as
if anyone has otherwise identified it as a specific mineral..." Moreover,
finally, the inclusion of "black salt" as a tribute item: "Black Salt" came
as tribute in the joint mission of Turgäch, Ch~ch, Kish, M~imargh, and Kapi
śa in 746 (along with "red salt"), and in 751 and 753 also came from
Khw~rizm, south of the Oxus ... The identity of this substance is not
known." Schafer (1963), p. 217.
~-=-~
According to Indian Medicine:
SALT THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
Salt is an inseparable part of cookery worldwide food without a pinch of
salt is not at all a complete food according to Hakeem Hashmi, an
outstanding unani physician. Salt is used in foods not only to enhance
taste but also for its medicinal virtues salt has many a wonderful curative
preventive, health giving properties besides being edible, salt is used in
making many detergents, chemicals, fertilizer and pesticides. It also used
as a disinfectant, its solution is put in the corners of wardrobes, boxes
{to} clear off the moths & insects. Salt is used in washing cloth as a
stain remover. Different varieties of salt are found mostly there are four
forms are available.
(1). Rock salt (2). Black salt (3). Ocean salt (4). Lake salt and {5} there
is a variety of artificial rock salt is also available.
ROCK SALT: -
This is the best of all types of salts and is obtained from the mines under
ground. This is very tasty, digestive, light, appertiser, cooling anti
phlegmatic antibileous, anti-aciditic. This is easily absorbed in the body.
Hindus use this salt prepares special food in religious fast.
ARTIFICIAL ROCK: -
Is anti-phlegmatic, pain reliever, anti-flatulent, digestive.
BLACK SALT: -
This is tasty, carminative, digestive, release wind.
OCEAN SALT ALKALINE SALT: -
Procured from bigger lakes {Oceans ?} around the world is Very light,
anti-acidity and very hot.
COMPOSITION OF SALT: -
Salt has a composition of many natural minerals.
Sodium - Chlorine - Calcium - Phosphorus - Iron - Manganese -
Potassium - Copper - Sulpher - Silicon - Magnesium Fluorine.
Sodium: -Helps in curing acidity gaseous effect and purifies blood.
Chlorine: - Makes the body free from foreign elements.
Calcium: - Helps in formation and growth of bones and the body.
Phosphorous: - Helps in the proper working and sharpening the mind (brain).
Iron: - Helps in absorbing oxygen and discharging carbon-DI-oxide.
Manganese: - Helps to balance salt proportion in the body.
Potassium: - Helps in giving strength to nerves, heart & liver.
Copper: - Adds iron contends to the body. {?}
Sulpher: - Also purifies blood & skin.
Silicon: - Helps to strengthen eyes and ears.
Magnesium: - Is a general health tonic.
Fluorine: - Strengthens the bones and controls and acidity.
CURES OF SALTS
INDIGESTION & STOMACH DISORDERS: -
Consuming 5 grams of black salt in hot water in the morning eliminates
indigestion & improves appetite.
One or two teaspoon of onion juice along with Little Rock salt, after meals
eliminate flatulence.
Massaging the stomach with salt mixed in hot ghee releases wind and cures
stomachache.
Taking a little salt in hot water cures stomachache and also helps in easy
movement of bowel.
HEADACHE: -
Keeping a pinch of salt on the tongue for minutes and then drinking cold
water eliminates headache.
Rubbing little salt in pure ghee on the temples gives relief in headache due
to cold.
Putting one or two drops of salt water in the nostrils eliminates headache.
Smelling salt water (in 1:20 proportion) also helps in curing headache.
DANDRUFF: - Washing the hair with salted water helps in eliminating
dandruff.
STOMACH WORMS: -
Taking a Banana sprinkled with rock salt & lemon juice on empty stomach in
the morning destroys stomach worms.
SKIN PROBLEMS: -
Rubbing the body with salted-mastered oil removes skin dryness.
Applying salted pure ghee cures cracked feet & hands.
Applying ginger juice mixed with rock salt removes pimples & ache.
VOMITING: -
Taking ginger & lemon juice with rock salt controls vomiting.
COLD & COUGH: -
Boil a glass of water with rock salt black pepper & turmeric powder and
reduce it to half. Taking these cures cold & cough.
Putting some drops of basil juice mixed with rock salt in the nostrils cures
cold.
Massaging the chest with warm ghee mixed with rock salt cures cold helps in
extracting the trapped phlegm.
Sucking a piece of salt gives relief in cough.
DENTAL PROBLEMS: -
Rinsing the mouth regularly with salted water eliminates pain due to tooth
decay.
Applying strained salt mixed in mustard oil kept in sun for a whole day as
toothpaste strengthens the gums and teeth & eliminates pyorrhea. Strained
black salt mixed {with ?} til oil applied as toothpaste. Strengthens the
loose teeth at their base.
Finely powdered rock salt applied on the gums relieves pain in gums and
teeth.
BLEEDING: -
Taking little salt gives instant relief the bleeding.
INSET BITE: -
Rubbing salt on the affected portion after pouring some water and taking
some salted water eliminates irritation, pain and swelling caused by the
bite of poisonous substance.
DOG-BITE: -
Rubbing the mixture of ground garlic and salt over the affected portion
eliminates the effect of dog-bite. Western doctors have proved that taking
more salted food can help the women to have their baby's sex according to
taking to their choice male child. They should start taking more saltish
food not only during pregnancy but 6 weeks before conception salt produces
potassium and sodium in the body and have great effect on chromosomes, which
determine the sex of the baby.
Best Wishes,
John M. Hansen
Who will now go read something else -
HoodWinkedBrand
Dad who is visiting. His responce: "Black Salt is another name for "Rock
Salt". They call it Black Salt because it has darker pieces in it..."
I have no idea if he is correct but somehow I think the answer has to be
something simple. I doubt old rootworkers went to the trouble of burning
vegtable matter and such.
Didn't Cat mention sometime back that "Black Salt" was salt and pepper mixed
together??? That's pretty simple if it is true. Probably at a later date
manafacturers left out the black pepper and just mixed in black dye or crushed
charcoal.
just my opinion though...
Jason
Eoghan Ballard
> I have no idea if he is correct but somehow I think the answer has to be
> something simple. I doubt old rootworkers went to the trouble of burning
> vegtable matter and such.
Jason,
Do not be so sure of this. It is quite common even now among priests
in Palo (the Cuban Congo equivalent of N.A. Hoodoo - at least in terms
of its magical practice) to take raw materials and often burning them
to produce powders (mpolo)of complex ingredients. I personally do not
doubt that they did. I suspect some still do.
Eoghan