Rock Salt Sculpture of Nicolaus Copernicus at the Wieliczka Salt Mine
Salt was a very precious commodity back then. When it was discovered that Wieliczka was sitting on top of one of the largest rock salt deposits, it was like they struck gold. I guess at the time, people didn’t have anything to put flavor in their food, or probably nothing to preserve food with. Having a large supply of salt helps ensure food security too. Because of this, the men of the town grow up to be miners all their lives. It is not a dirty job but it is considered to be a glamorous job to be able to mine salt. They were almost like nobles.
Inside the Wieliczka Salt Mine
The job was also passed down from generation to generation, I guess boys didn’t need to worry about finding a job anymore. Life in the salt mine is harsh. Unlike now where there is fresh air pumped into the mine, it was hot and stuffy in the mine back then. Of course, there is always that constant danger of tunnel collapse. The mine shafts have to be supported by logs which are brought in from the outside. However, the prosperity which salt brought them makes all these hardships worth it. It may no longer be obvious how difficult things were back then since the mine has been cleaned up for tourism. Just imagine how it was when the miners didn’t have the simple convenience of electricity.
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