Archaeologists are now closer than ever to unraveling the mysteries of an ancient Iranian salt mine, where the remains of miners, preserved in shocking poses, have been found in a state of grim, suspended animation. These so-called “Saltmen,” some frozen mid-scream, were buried alive in the mine thousands of years ago, most dating back to the Achaemenid Dynasty (550–330 BC), the first empire to rule over what is now Iran. A groundbreaking new study suggests the history of this mine stretches even further back in time – possibly over 4,000 years earlier – based on newly discovered settlements nearby!
Unearthing A Catastrophic Mine Collapse
Eight mummified Saltmen have been unearthed from this site to date, most of them from the Achaemenid period, an era when Persia’s vast empire stretched from Egypt in the west to the Indus River Valley in the east. According to the new study published in Journal of World Prehistory, the mine was abandoned after a catastrophic collapse around 405–380 BC, which claimed the lives of three miners.
While operations halted for nearly 200 years, the collapse provided archaeologists with exceptionally preserved remains of the miners—offering an almost forensic snapshot of ancient human activity at the site.
The Douzlākh salt deposit seen from the west at the confluence of the Mehrābād and Chehrābād rivers. (S. Saeedi/Journal of World Prehistory)
The latest revelation comes on the heels of several extraordinary finds at the Chehrābād salt mine in northwestern Iran, including the astonishing 2021 discovery of a mummified sheep. In fact, the DNA of this 1,600-year-old sheep was so well-preserved that scientists were able to sequence its entire genome, offering an unparalleled glimpse into the past.
As Dr. Lena Öhrström, a paleopathologist with the University of Zurich’s Mummy Studies Group, explains, the mummification process of these miners was driven by the high salt content of the mine. “The salt’s hygroscopic effect,” she notes, “dehydrated the bodies, inhibiting bacterial growth and preventing decomposition.” In other words, the same salt that took the miners’ lives also ensured that their bodies were naturally mummified, leaving them eerily intact for millennia.
Saltman 4 and his most important equipment. Photo: K. Stange, AVTention Marienheide; Graphic: Th. Stöllner (Stollner et al./Journal of World Prehistory)
Social Organization Around Salt: The Saltmen of Yesteryear
Despite these remarkable discoveries, going further back in time has been more challenging. While recent excavations have uncovered settlements near the Chehrābād mine dating back to the Chalcolithic or Copper Age (5,000–4,000 BC), and even to the Stone Age at a site called Kheyr Tappeh, there’s little evidence to prove these early communities actively mined salt.
Archaeologists like Iranian expert Hamed Zifar, from the Zolfaghari Archaeological Museum, have speculated that early mining techniques may have been lost to time, or that these ancient peoples lacked the organization to exploit the salt deposits effectively, reports the Daily Mail.
Fortunately, more recent history has been easier to uncover.
The first Saltman (Saltman 1) was found in the winter of 1993, a discovery that startled researchers with its extraordinary preservation. The severed head of Saltman 1, complete with flowing white hair, a beard, and a gold earring in his left ear, was carbon-dated to the early Sassanian Dynasty (220–390 AD). This period marked the final pre-Islamic Persian empire, and the discovery of Saltman 1’s remains helped reveal that an organized mining operation existed during this time, possibly overseen by the empire itself.
Head of Saltman 1 from 1993, now in the National Museum, Teheran. (Photo: G. Najaflu/Journal of World Prehistory)
Further evidence of this ancient mining industry has been found in the form of tool marks on the salt mine’s rock walls, consistent with wedges and adze-shaped implements from the Sassanid era. Archaeologists have even discovered donkey stables near the site, suggesting that salt was transported out of the mine in sacks and baskets – a testament to the scale of the operation. Interestingly, no further activity has been documented at the site since the end of Sassanid salt mining in the sixth century AD.
One of the most iconic figures from this ancient mine is Saltman 4, a teenage miner who met a tragic end during the collapse of the Achaemenid-era mine around 400 BC. His body, discovered in 2004, is almost perfectly preserved, showing the boy frozen in fear as he tried to shield himself during the disaster.
Clad in woolen trousers, a tunic, leather shoes, and a fur cape, Saltman 4 also wore silver earrings in both ears, and two clay pots, a knife, and other personal effects were found alongside him, reports NY Post.
Remains of Salt Man 4 on display at Zanjan. One of the Saltmen found in 2004 in Douzlākh salt mines near Chehrābād, located on the southern part of the Hamzehlu village, on the west side of the city of Zanjan, Zanjan Province in Iran. (Mardetanha/CC BY-SA 3.0)
The discovery of Saltman 4 not only provided an iconic image for the Chehrābād excavations but also spearheaded renewed interest and funding for further research at the site. His well-preserved body revealed even more secrets: carbon isotope analysis of his remains suggests that he was not local to the area – in fact, he displayed a distinctly non-local diet.
This “stranger” likely hailed from a distant land, indicating that the Chehrābād salt mine was already part of a sophisticated, possibly imperial, mining operation that reached far beyond the immediate region. The limitations of these material remains are seen by an absence of historical records to corroborate these salt-mining systems.
“Unfortunately, there are few written sources concerning salt-exploitation in northwestern Iran during the timespan considered here, and none for the Achaemenid and Sasanian periods,” the researchers concluded.
Top image: Left; Salt man No 4 16 years old youth. Right; Head of Salt man 1, IIran Baastan Museum. Source: Left; Mardetanha/CC BY-SA 3.0, Right; Nasser-sadeghi/CC BY 3.0
By Sahir Pandey
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