Salt Godhelms

“Huixtocihuatl”

Colored by Joshua Nutall

Huixtocihuatl was an Aztec fertility goddess who was considered an older sister of Tlaloc and presided over salt & salt water. She was a provider god, as salt was considered one of the three life essentials along with food and water. She was banished to the salt beds by her younger brothers after they were angered by her mockery of them, and it was there that she learned of salt & how to obtain it.

“The Nameless”

Colored by Katie Brittingham

In 2020, during an excavation at the  ruins of Provadia-Solnitsata in northeastern Bulgaria, an idol of an ancient god was found. The site is believed to be the oldest salt production site in Europe, dating back to 5500-4200BCE, and is thought to be one of the earliest urban centers in Europe. Much of the ancient beliefs & culture of this location were lost to time as earthquakes progressively collapsed the city, and the name & identity of their iconified deity has been lost with it.

“Salacia”

Colored by Spectre

Salacia was the Roman goddess of salt water who presided over the depths of the ocean. She was the consort of the god of the ocean, Neptune, and is associated with the Greek goddess Amphitrite. When Neptune first tried to marry her, she was overwhelmed and fled into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Neptune sent a dolphin after her to persuade her to return, which she did, and eventually mothered three children with him, the most celebrated being Triton whose body was half man and half fish.