This is gross!

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

A long way back we were discussing how the gulf and carribean natives might have tanned hides. I'm sorry to say I may have found the answer. From The Marketplace at Tenochtitlan, firsthand account of Diaz del Castillo, who was with Cortez:

"There were also the sellers of pitch-pine for torches, and other things of that kind, and i must also mention, with all my appologies, that they sold many canoe-loads of human excrement, which they kept in the creeks near the market. This was for the manufacture of salt, and the curing of skins, which they say cannot be done without it. I know a great many gentlemen will laugh at this, but I assure them it is true. I may add that on all the roads they have shelters made of reeds or straw or grass so they can retire when they wish to do so, and purge their bowels unseen by passers-by, and also in order that their excrement shall not be lost."

He does not give details of the curing process, but I think that is enough information anyhow, Gaaag! And SALT!!! BLLEEEeeCH! I may never eat salt again!!!

Bo

[theM.A.dDogge]

i thoight it was ...dont drink the water??....now no salt either...shheesh

so...yellowbeard was right...???...with a little girl selling a lump of...of...ewwwww

hey got a good idea for a new character!?!?

good find bo.

[Black Syren]

I know that many native american tribes tanned hides using excrement, animal brains, and sometimes to further soften it even chewed the hides with their own teeth.

[Red Cat Jenny]

you just wonder what would posess one to say ... "hey...maybe this would work...."

[captscurvy_nc]

Wate not want not, I guess they took it more seriously than others

[Raphael Misson]

you just wonder what would posess one to say ... "hey...maybe this would work...."

Probably observation, the same way many other such things were discovered. Something happens by accident and observant, thoughtful people notice the results and then experiment. Look at the way Fleming discovered penicillin. (If he'd have been a neat freak, it never would have happened.)

[Quartermaster James]

Certainly any people near an ocean do not need excrement to produce table salt!

I strongly suspect that the salt mentioned is not NaCl, but rather KNO3, potassium nitrate, aka: saltpeter.

See Ulrich Bretscher's excellent black powder site for more information on the production of potassium nitrate.

Besides it's use in black powder, KNO3 is also used in tanning. However, I do not know how early it's use was introduced to this process.

Bo, can you give us a link to the other discussion please? I am curious. Was brain tanning ruled out for some reason?

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

There was never a definite solution or method decided on as best I recall, and I'm no good with the search function. I don't think poop was ever discussed though!

Tenochtitlan was what became Mexico City today, after Cortez destroyed, then re-built it,so they were not really anywhere near the ocean or gulf as far as land mass/distance goes, but trade was flourishing for the Aztecs when Cortez arrived. With all the other stuff traded in the market, it does seem curious that sea-salt or even brine spring salt was not mentioned. This class is great (History of Mexico), and he also does one on Spanish Empire that has about two weeks dedicated to PYRACY!!! guess what i'm signing up for next semester?!?!

Bo

[Quartermaster James]

Bo,

This makes me wonder what salt use/consumption in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica might have been.

I have the faded memory of an educational film about some jungle dwelling peoples who, in one scene, were introduced to refined salt. The commentary was something to the effect that they took to this new foodstuff, eating it by the handful, as we might sugar. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of what part of the world this was.

Additionally, I have a minor interest in pickling, especially brine cured lactic acid ferments such as sauerkraut and kim chi, and I cannot recall ever encountering regional pre-Columbian pickles.

Please let us know if your course offers any answers.

[Capn Bob]

Okay...maybe while you think about this subject, you should drink some Peruvian beer brewed the *traditional* way, as below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/dining/09beer.html

[CaptainSatan]

I have made buckskin the Cherokee way before.

Using freshly murdered deer hides.

I did use the brains but there was no shite involved in the process.

Human or otherwise!

[Commodore Swab]

IF memory serves me which is a big if. . .

The Incas who are famous for having so much gold did not mine or collect any of it, in fact they mined salt and traded it with others for gold.