18/06/2026
From a prehistoric salt mine... to a gold mine of knowledge!
🧂 For over 7,000 years, human communities have been mining salt from the Hallstatt mine in Austria, making it the oldest salt mine in the world. Hidden deep within the mountains, the chambers of this prehistoric mine have yielded ancient tools, textiles, and everyday objects, perfectly preserved by the salt.
🔦 🧬 Today, this site is not only an archaeological treasure but also a unique data archive, offering scientists the opportunity to study the technologies, working and health conditions, and diets of past societies.
👀 Want to learn more about this mysterious - and salty - story? Watch our video report featuring Frank Maixner from our Institute for the Study of Mummies, Daniel Brandner (NhM Naturhistorisches Museum Wien), and Kerstin Kowarik (Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften).
⏯️ https://youtu.be/ZgOrxC5oQsE
🎞️ Video: Andrea De Giovanni | Illustrations: Oscar Diodoro | Animations: Fabio Dalvit