Brine exploitation at Cacica (Romania): An application of radial model of salt supplying

Drawing on ethnoarchaeological field research conducted in Romania's Outer Carpathian region between 2007 and 2015, an ethnographic radial model for the supply of brine, recrystallized salt, and rock salt was developed. This paper aims to apply this model to prehistoric contexts, specifically the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Bronze Age periods, in relation to the brine sources at Cacica. The selection of this area is grounded in several factors: the presence of multiple brine sources, the use of the briquetage technique (a method for producing salt cakes in ceramic containers) during a specific phase of the Chalcolithic, extensive documentation from ethnographic and ethnohistorical studies, and a rich database on prehistoric settlement patterns. At Cacica, two distinct methods of brine exploitation were identified: the production of salt cakes and the direct use of brine without human intervention, primarily for human and animal consumption. The authors utilized the Radial Model of Salt Supply to analyse these two methods of exploitation and suggest that this dual model could offer valuable insights into the understanding of inland briquetage sites across worldwide. •This paper applies, for the first time, the ethnographic radial model of brine supply to the European prehistory.•The direct use of brine in human nutrition and halotherapy, widely documented, must also be accepted for prehistory.•Our approach is a ground-breaking contribution to reducing the archaeological invisibility specific to brine supply.•Our research disprove archaeological prejudice that the exploitation of brine cannot be admitted without material evidence.