Desert Wealth: Ethnoarchaeology of the Afar Salt Trade, 450 BCE-1600 CE

The Danakil depression in Ethiopia and Eritrea’s Afar desert is home to one of the world’s oldest and largest active salt lakes. For about 2000 years, the Afar salt lakes have been a vital supply of salt for Ancient Ethiopians and Eritreans, and they are still used by salt traders and modern-day pack caravans. In this chapter, I use ethnoarchaeological and historical data to describe the organization of this ancient salt trade and production, focusing on salt caravanners and salt miners. By explaining the profound significance of the salt trade, I illustrate how it has served as a pivotal incentive for interaction between diverse populations residing in the highlands and low deserts, encompassing both highland farmers and lowland mobile pastoralists.