Natron is a white, crystalline hygroscopic mineral salt, primarily a mixture of sodium bicarbonate (common baking soda) and sodium carbonate (soda ash) with small amounts of sodium chloride (table salt) and sodium sulfate. Natron is somewhat antiseptic and is also an exfoliant and a desiccant. A hygroscopic substance is a substance that absorbs water readily from its surroundings. ... A magnified crystal of a salt (halite/sodium chloride) In chemistry, a salt is any ionic compound composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. ... Sodium bicarbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. ... Sodium carbonate (also known as washing soda or soda ash), Na2CO3, is a sodium salt of carbonic acid. ... Sodium chloride, also known as common salt, table salt, or halite, is a chemical compound with the formula NaCl. ... Sodium sulfate is an important compound of sodium. ... An antiseptic solution of iodine applied to a cut An antiseptic (Greek αντι, against, and σηπτικος, putrefactive) is a substance that prevents the growth and reproduction of various microorganisms (such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses). ... Something that is typically abrasive that assists in the removal of dead skin cells and particles. ... A desiccant is a substance that adsorbs moisture from the air. ...

In ancient Egypt, natron was mined as a powdery solid from dry lake beds or wadis near the Nile River, and put to a wide variety of uses, including mummification. It absorbed the flesh-eating bacteria that would decompose the body. (The term "natron" and the chemical symbol for sodium, Na, both derive from the name of the Wadi Natrum, the ancient Egyptians' primary source of the material). Natron also can be found in Natrona County, Wyoming. It was also added to castor oil to produce a smokeless fuel which allowed Egyptian artisans to paint elaborate artworks inside ancient tombs without them becoming besmirched with soot. Because it has strong grease-cutting properties, natron has also been associated with soap production. Natron was commonly used in glass-making, by the Romans and others, until trade declined after 640 AD. Hathor The history of Egypt is the longest continuous history, as a unified state, of any country in the world. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A wadi is a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain. ... The Nile (Arabic: ‎, translit: , Ancient Egyptian iteru) is a river in Africa, often regarded as the longest river on Earth, although some sources claim the Amazon in South America is longer. ... A mummy is a corpse whose skin and dried flesh have been preserved by either intentional or accidental exposure to chemicals, extreme cold or dryness, or airlessness. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean (technically castor seed as the castor plant, Ricinus communis, is not a member of the bean family). ... Soap most commonly appears in bar form. ...

The chemical symbol for sodium, Na, is derived from the Roman term natrium. Natron is sometimes referred to as "impure salt". General Name, Symbol, Number sodium, Na, 11 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 22. ... The Roman Forum was the central area around which ancient Rome developed. ...

Natron is used to make Bavarian pretzels. The dough is dipped into a natron solution to give it its brown color and distinctive flavor when baked. A modern factory produced hard pretzel. ...