These dishes and vessels were used to hold salt at the table. Notice the prevalence of aquatic imagery -- seashells, ships, sea-creatures, etc. -- a symbol of the sea as the source of salt.

• Bronze salt cellar head from the Roman fortress at Inchtuthil in Perthshire, c. A.D. 82 and 87
• Saltcellar, French, mid-13th century (also here)
• Saltcellar in cast pewter, English, c. 1320
• The All Souls Salt, early 15th century
j saler of gold and of jaspis beyng upon a grene carage enameilled with egles.

Proceedings of the Privy Council of England

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ij Salers of gold, whereof yt oon ys a man and yt other a woman, holdyng ye salers in her hondes.

Liber Memorandorum Camerariorum Receptae Scaccarii

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An Olyfaunt of goold beryng a Saler in a Castell weyng by troye weight xvj lb v unces v peny weyght garnysshed..in the feet with iij grete perles iij grete Saphirs..and in the Coveryng of the Saler xij grete perles.

London Plea and Memoranda Rolls

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Loke þy salte be sutille, whyte, fayre, and drye ... and þy salt sellere lydde towche not thy salt bye.

Duties of a Pantler or Butler, John Russell's Book of Nurture (MS. Harl. 4011)

• A lidded saltcellar in a detail from The Death of Mary in an altarpiece from Vienna, c. 1469-1480
• Saltcellar in gold with enamel, agate, and pearls, 15th century (also here)
• A saltbox, Gesta Friderici I (ÖNB 403, fol. 53v), 1492
• A round lidded saltcellar in The Birth of Mary by Hans Holbein the Elder, 1493
• An open lidded saltcellar in a detail from The Feast at Bethany from the Church of St. Korbinian at Thal, 1498
• Saltcellar made in Germany c. 1500
• Saltcellars in enamelled copper, made in Limoges, with pairs of busts; one from the late 15th or early 16th century, the other from the early 16th century
• The Frick's collection of 16th century enamel saltcellars
• A lidded saltcellar in a detail from The Fish-Miracle of St. Ulrich from an altarpiece at Seitenstetten, 1518
• Onyx saltcellar with gold mermaid, first half of the 16th century
• The Burghley Nef, made in Paris, 1527-28; this is a nef, and the V&A's website says that it was used as a saltcellar. Another photo shows Tristan and Iseult on board.
• Silver-gilt salt made in Italy c. 1530
• Maiolica salt cellar made in Urbino by Francesco Xanto Avelli in 1532
• Silver-gilt spice-stand or saltcellar possibly made in Cordoba c. 1540
• Saltcellar, called the “Saliera” made by Benvenuto Cellini in Paris, 1540-43
• Saltcellar with emblems of Henry II, Saint-Porchaire lead-glazed earthenware, around 1540-60
• Glazed ceramic saltcellar, Saint-Porchaire lead-glazed earthenware, around 1540-60
• Saltcellar with a scene from the life of Moses, enamel on terra cotta, circle of Lonard Limosin, 1540-1560
• Saltcellar with the feats of Heracles, enamel on copper, circle of Pierre Raimond, second half of the 16th century
• Saltcellars of a young man holding a seashell on his shoulders, in gilt bronze, made in Italy c. 1560; see V&A 628-1865 and 629-1865; see also 627-1865, also made c. 1560 in gilt bronze, either in Germany or Italy)
• English salt cellar in the form of an eagle, 1570
• Bianchi di Faenza armorial salt (or salt cellar) made in the workshop of Leonardo Bettisi c. 1570-80
• Saltcellar in openworked silver made in the last quarter of the 16th century
• Saltcellar in glazed earthenware, c. 1580
• Saltcellar made by Geeraert de Rasier in Antwerp in 1580-81
• Saltcellar in glazed earthenware made by Bernard Palissy between 1580 and 1600
[From] Sir John Parrett, one very small salte of aggett, with a cover and foote gold enamyled, garnished with small sparkes of rubyes and oppalls, the foote garnished with like rubyes.

Gifts given to Queen Elizabeth
1588-89

• The Mostyn Salt, silver-gilt, made in London in 1586-1587
• The Vyvyan Salt, silver-gilt with painted & gilded glass, made in London in 1592-93
• Saltcellar in silver made by Adam Pröll in Nuremburg c. 1600
• Salt cellar in maiolica, probably made in the workshop of the Patanazzi family in Urbino c. 1600
• Small triangular saltcellars made in Germany in the late 16th century: V&A 240-1874 (c. 1575), 2109-1855 (c. 1575), M.37-1953 (c. 1600), or M.36-1953 (c. 1600)
• Triangular golden saltcellar made in Germany c. 1580-1600
• A pair of triangular golden saltcellars made in Germany c. 1590-1600

Thanks for the suggestions, Mac!