Summary Halophilic Archaea cultured from ancient fluid inclusions in a 90‐m‐long (0‐ to 100 000‐year‐old) salt core from Death Valley, California, demonstrate survival of bacterial cells in subsurface halite for up to 34 000 years. Five enrichment cultures, representing three genera of halophilic Archaea ( Halorubrum , Natronomonas and Haloterrigena ), were obtained from five surface‐sterilized halite crystals exclusively in o...