The word alati comes from the Homeric word αλς (als), which means sea. Salt from Messinia is of excellent quality. Traditionally, it was considered a product essential for the household (cooking and preserving) and as a product that could be exchanged for other products such as fruit and cheese. Salt harvesting starts in early July. Before this time, locals fill big ponds with seawater, which evaporates by the sun. When the water becomes brine, that is, less than a half of its original quantity and with a very high salt concentration, they transfer it to smaller saltpans where pure, clean salt is produced after water evaporation. The salt is collected with ladles, placed in baskets and then spread on sun dryers (liastres) on clean flat rocks to dry and turn into shiny white salt.