The custom of purifying or consecrating a destroyed city with salt and cursing anyone who dared to rebuild it was widespread in the
ancient Near East, but historical accounts are unclear as to what the sowing of salt meant in that process.
Portugal This was done in
Portugal as well. The last known event of this sort was the destruction of the
Duke of Aveiro's palace in
Lisbon in 1759, due to his participation in the
Távora affair (a conspiracy against King
Joseph I of Portugal). His palace was demolished and his land was salted.
Brazil In the Portuguese
colony of Brazil, the leader of the
Inconfidência Mineira,
Tiradentes, was sentenced to death and his house was "razed and salted, so that never again be built up on the floor, ... and even the floor will rise up a standard by which the memory is preserved (preserving) the infamy of this heinous offender ..." ==Legends==