Ethiopia: Danakil – Salt Cutting
Back in Middle Ages the salt from Danakil was worth its weight in gold. Literally! (The commodity prices for the two have diverged since clearly). Long camel salt caravans would travel from here over to the Central Ethiopia for days across 9k feet mountains loaded with roughly cut salt blocks and then return with ivory and gold. Surprisingly, not much has changed! Salt is still being cut from the Danakil Depression salt beds with primitive axe-like tools in the scorching heat (it’s the hottest place on earth), loaded onto camels and donkeys and transported in caravans into the highlands. Sadly, for only few dollars for days of insane work. It was fascinating and mesmerizing to watch this and contemplate life and the “have” and “have nots” of it.
