| Abstract: |
To the people of the Kelabit-Kerayan highlands in Central Borneo, salt is a very important item economically and culturally. Salt production, alongside paddy planting and livestock rearing, is one of the main economic activities among the different groups of people living in the Kelabit-Kerayan highlands. Besides being a highly valued commodity of trade, throughout history, salt has also functioned as signifiers of identity and wealth and given as gifts to important visitors. This paper employs an ethnoarchaeological perspective in the study of salt production among the contemporary and linguistically- and culturally-related communities in the Kelabit-Kerayan highlands. One of the objectives of this paper is to document the salt production process in the Kelabit-Kerayan highlands and the material culture involved. Additionally, this paper will discuss how the remains of such activities may be visible in the archaeological record.
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