In the ancient world, salt often took on a religious significance. In Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, and Persian texts there is an intimate connection of salt with the idea of a covenant or binding relationship between God and humans or between one individual and another. Among the ancients, to "eat salt" with another person was to create a bond of friendship.

Salt became one of the principal articles of early commerce. One of the oldest roads in Italy was called the Via Salaria (Salt Road) because it was the route by which salt was transported. The caravan trade of the Sahara was largely a trade in salt.

In some cultures salt denoted a position of honor or esteem. In the Middle Ages, a person's social rank was evident from his seating in relation to the place of the saltcellar on the table. In English "salt of the earth" describes a person held in high esteem.