Albol (Kneading-through) inv. no. ES 331

Material: wood

Dimensions: length 83 cm; height 15 cm; width. 40.5 cm

 

Albol is an elongated shallow vessel, carved from a single piece of wood. Both ends of the vessel end with two raised flat surfaces that serve as handles. In the salt pans, two types of kneading-through (albol) were used. Larger ones were typically for kneading bread, while smaller ones were used for carrying salt. Each family had one larger kneading-through for kneading bread and several smaller ones for carrying salt. The kneading-through was worn on the shoulder and was used to carry salt from the crystallization basins to the house or warehouse, or onto the boat. The work was very tiring and time-consuming. Salt workers could collect two to three tons of salt a day. The longest path they had to walk from the basin to the house was over 120 meters, and the kneading-through could weigh more than 35 kilograms. Fresh salt contained between 8 and 10 percent of water, which was partially drained in the salt house.