All mines need regular reinforcement against collapse, and Hallstatt, the world’s oldest salt mine in the Austrian Alps, is no exception — but Hallstatt is not like other mines.
Exploited for 7,000 years, the mine has yielded not only a steady supply of salt, but also archeological discoveries attesting to the existence of a rich civilization dating to the early part of the first millennium BC.
So far, less than 2 percent of the prehistoric tunnel network is thought to have been explored, with the new round of reinforcement work, which began this month, protecting the dig’s achievements, chief archeologist Hans Reschreiter said.
Photo: AFP
“Like in all the mines, the mountain puts pressure on the tunnels and they could cave in if nothing is done,” Reschreiter said.
Towering over a natural lake — today frequented by masses of tourists, particularly from Asia, who come to admire the Alpine scenery — the Hallstatt mine lies more than 800m above sea level.
The vast deposit of sea salt inside was left by the ocean that covered the region about 250 million years ago.
Among the most striking archeological discoveries was that of an 8m-long wooden staircase dating to 1100 BC, the oldest such staircase found in Europe.
“It was so well preserved that we could take it apart and reassemble it,” Reschreiter said.
Other items date back much further. Excavated in 1838, an axe made from staghorn dating from 5000 BC showed that as early as then, miners “tried hard to extract salt from here,” Reschreiter said.
In the mid-19th century, excavations revealed a necropolis that showed the site’s prominence during the early Iron Age.
The civilization became known as “Hallstatt culture,” ensuring the site’s fame.
“Thousands of bodies have been excavated, almost all flaunting rich bronze ornaments, typically worn by only the wealthiest,” Reschreiter said. “The remains bore the marks of hard physical labor from childhood, while also showing signs of unequaled prosperity.”
Salt — long known as “white gold” — was priceless at the time, and Hallstatt produced up to 1 tonne every day, supplying “half of Europe,” Reschreiter said, adding that the difficult-to-access location “became the continent’s richest and a major platform for trading in 800 BC.”
Testifying to this are sword handles made of African ivory and Mediterranean wine bowls found at the site.
A second series of excavations — started by Vienna’s Museum of Natural History about 60 years ago — produced more surprises.
In tunnels more than 100m below the surface, archeologists discovered “unique evidence” of mining activity at an “industrial” scale during the Bronze Age, Reschreiter said.
As well as revealing wooden retaining structures more than 3,000 years old which were perfectly preserved by the salt, the excavation unearthed numerous tools, leather gloves and a rope — thick as a fist — as well as the remains of millions of wooden torches.
Also used by Celts and during the Roman era, when salt was used to pay legions stationed along the Danube River — it is the origin of the word “salary” — the mine has never stopped working since prehistoric times.
Today, about 40 people still work there, using high-pressure water to extract the equivalent of 250,000 tonnes of salt per year.
“Salt doesn’t have the same value as in antiquity anymore, but some of its new uses, such as in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, are still highly profitable,” said Kurt Thomanek, technical director of salt supplier Salinen Austria.
Tourism linked to the archeological discoveries is also “a pillar of our activities,” Thomanek added.
Last year, about 200,000 people visited the mine.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
A prominent Christian leader has allegedly been stabbed at the altar during a Mass yesterday in southwest Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was saying Mass at Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley just after 7pm when a man approached him at the altar and allegedly stabbed toward his head multiple times. A live stream of the Mass shows the congregation swarm forward toward Emmanuel before it was cut off. The church leader gained prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, amassing a large online following, Officers attached to Fairfield City police area command attended a location on Welcome Street, Wakeley following reports a number