salt cellar, unknown maker from the United States

Salt is vital to survival and the scarcity of naturally occurring salt deposits led to it becoming a popular trade commodity. Some of the earliest and most prominent salt trade routes traversed inhospitable landscapes from Morocco, through the Sahara Desert, and on to Timbuktu. Others linked Egypt, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean with the Libyan Desert. Salt was so valuable it was used as currency, traded ounce for ounce with gold in parts of Africa.

Within Sallie Casey Thayer’s collection, several pieces of uranium glass, called “Vaseline” glass because of its yellow appearance, shines bright green when placed under ultraviolet light. KU specialists recently tested these objects to identify any potential safety hazards caused by the radioactive element used to create their yellow hue. When tested up close, the measurement of decay for this small salt cellar measures 1600 counts per minute according to a Geiger-Muller Counter with Pancake Probe. This small dose does not generate harm to the person handling the object. Placed behind the glass of a display case, the object emits no measurable dose or harmful effects. Tap the PDF icon above to view the report of Spencer Museum of Art Vaseline Glass Collection conducted on May 24, 2017 by Alice Dale, Assistant Radiation Safety Officer, and Michael Lemon, Radiation Safety Officer, University of Kansas.