saliera

A saliera is a salt cellar or salt shaker, a vessel used to hold and dispense salt at the dining table. In many languages, the term refers to a dedicated container for salt, distinguishing it from other tableware such as pepper shakers. Salieras have appeared in a wide range of forms and materials, including metal, porcelain, glass, and more recently plastic. Traditional salieras are often shallow dishes or small vessels with a fitted lid or cap to protect the salt from moisture.

Historically, salieras were valued both for function and display. In households of various social strata, the salt container could be a modest everyday object or a crafted work of art. During periods such as the Renaissance and later European centuries, ornate salieras were produced in precious metals and fine ceramics as part of elaborate table settings. The development of pewter, silver, and gilded items reflects changing tastes and trade patterns, as salt remained an essential pantry staple and dining accessory.

A notable example in art history is La Saliera (The Salt Cellar), a gilded bronze sculpture attributed to Benvenuto Cellini from the mid-16th century. Created as a functional salt cellar and celebrated for its masterful metalwork, it is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and is often cited as a high point of Renaissance sculpture and craftsmanship. Today, salieras continue to be used as practical objects and as decorative collectibles, illustrating the intersection of utility and artistry in tableware.