The Saltmen (Persian: مردان نمکی, romanized: mardān-e namakī) are the remains of several people found in the Chehrabad salt mines. These mines are located south of Hamzehlu village, west of Zanjan city in Zanjan Province, Iran. By 2010, six men's remains had been discovered. Most of them were accidentally killed when the tunnels they worked in collapsed. The head and left foot of Saltman 1 are displayed at the National Museum of Iran in Tehran.

Discovery

In the winter of 1993, miners found a body with long hair, a beard, and several items. These included the remains of a body, a lower leg inside a leather boot, three iron knives, a woolen half trouser, a silver needle, a sling, parts of a leather rope, a grindstone, a walnut, some pottery pieces, some patterned fabric pieces, and a few broken bones. The body was buried in the center of a tunnel about 45 meters (148 feet) long.

In 2004, another salt miner discovered the remains of a second man. During archaeological excavations in 2005, the remains of two more well-preserved men were found. In 2006, the Iranian Cultural Heritage News Agency worked with the German Mining Museum in Bochum, Germany. In 2007, they also partnered with the University of Oxford and the Swiss University of Zurich for detailed studies. A scientific long-term project began, supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and British funds. Four bodies, including a teenager and a woman, are stored at the Archaeology Museum (Zolfaghari House) in Zanjan. A sixth body found during the 2010 excavation was left in the salt mine. Three hundred pieces of fabric were discovered, some of which still had patterns and colors. In 2008, the Ministry of Industries and Mines canceled the mining permit.

Research

Archaeological studies, including carbon dating of bones and textiles, determined that the Saltman lived about 1,700 years ago. A sample of his hair showed that his blood type was B+.

Three-dimensional scans created by a scientific team led by Jalal Jalal Shokouhi revealed fractures near his eye and other injuries caused by a strong blow before his death. His appearance included long hair and a beard, and a golden earring in his left ear suggested he may have held a position of importance. The reason he was in and died at the Chehrabad salt mine is still unknown.

Three of the Saltmen were dated to the Parthian period (247 BCE–224 CE) and the Sasanian period (224–651 CE). The others were dated to the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BCE).

A 2012 research paper reported that the 2,200-year-old mummy from Chehrabad had tapeworm eggs from the genus Taenia in his intestines. This discovery provides new information about ancient diets, showing that people may have eaten raw or undercooked meat. It also represents the earliest known evidence of intestinal parasites in Iran and adds to understanding about ancient diseases in West Asia.