I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019) • Hacker News Board

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#11

Post by refurb » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 2:53 AM UTC

phyzome wrote: post #3

Tangential question: Why do humans place emphasis on bathing, when most other animals don't seem to need to do it? (I think in the US we bathe more than we actually need to, but on the other hand I assume that the strong cross-cultural emphasis indicates that we do actually need to do it to some degree to stay healthy.) Maybe something about our unusual skin, and how we sweat to stay cool?

Animals bath or at least groom.

And if you’ve ever hunted you’d know wild animals often stink terribly and have a multitude of health issues ranging from parasites, worms, skin infections, etc.

Humans could get away with minimal bathing as well if they are willing to put up with those things as well.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#12

Post by kumarvvr » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 2:58 AM UTC

Its funny that western history distorts the history of the rest of the world.

I hear western kids saying no one used to bathe in the ancient times.

As an Indian, it was practically mandatory for each and every individual to take a bath at-least two times a day. Additionally the following customs were very prevalent till recent times.

  1. Washing legs after coming home from outside.
  2. Washing hands, face and legs before sitting to eat food.
  3. Washing whole body after sex.
  4. Washing legs before entering others homes.
  5. Leaving footwear outside the *gate* of any home before entering it.
  6. A full bath in a river / lake / house tank *before* sunrise and once *before* sunset.

Also, body was supposed to be massaged with oil of sesame seeds (once a week), and greengram flour was rubbed on every part of the body. After sitting in the sun like this for a few minutes, the flour was scrubbed off by hand, and then a hot water bath taken.

For shampoo, two traditional herbs are recommended. Kunkudukai and shikakai. Both are used as it is without any processing. Kunkudukai would be crushed and mixed with water to form a liquid and then applied on head. Amazingly, it would form a lather when rubbed on the head. I remember doing this type of head bath every sunday, until about 2005. Any shampoo was forbidden in our home. The items were dead cheap too.

[Edit]

Kinkudukai is also called soapnut.

https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/benefits-of-soapnuts-for...

The above site tends to exaggerate the benifits a bit, but it is believed that kunkudukai inhibhits dandruff and is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.

By personal experience, it tastes absolutely vomit inducing bitter and will burn your eyes to high hell if as much as a diluted drop enters it.

Its a natural, safe and environmentally friendly way of taking a head bath.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#13

Post by khazhoux » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 2:59 AM UTC

phyzome wrote: post #3

Tangential question: Why do humans place emphasis on bathing, when most other animals don't seem to need to do it? (I think in the US we bathe more than we actually need to, but on the other hand I assume that the strong cross-cultural emphasis indicates that we do actually need to do it to some degree to stay healthy.) Maybe something about our unusual skin, and how we sweat to stay cool?

You should ask the guy at my gym who apparently doesn't shower, and singes my nose hair from 10 feet away.

Honest question: is there any way to tell a stranger they stink, without it being horribly awkward and even inappropriate? Truly, this is a gap in our social customs.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#14

Post by b112 » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:09 AM UTC

kumarvvr wrote: post #12

Its funny that western history distorts the history of the rest of the world. I hear western kids saying no one used to bathe in the ancient times. As an Indian, it was practically mandatory for each and every individual to take a bath at-least two times a day. Additionally the following customs were very prevalent till recent times. 1. Washing legs after coming home from outside. 2. Washing hands, face and legs befo…

[flagged]

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#15

Post by b112 » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:12 AM UTC

khazhoux wrote: post #13

phyzome wrote: post #3

Tangential question: Why do humans place emphasis on bathing, when most other animals don't seem to need to do it? (I think in the US we bathe more than we actually need to, but on the other hand I assume that the strong cross-cultural emphasis indicates that we do actually need to do it to some degree to stay healthy.) Maybe something about our unusual skin, and how we sweat to stay cool?

You should ask the guy at my gym who apparently doesn't shower, and singes my nose hair from 10 feet away. Honest question: is there any way to tell a stranger they stink, without it being horribly awkward and even inappropriate? Truly, this is a gap in our social customs.

There is no gap, you just tell the person they stink!

Some things are awkward no matter what, mostly because the perpetrator made it so, not you.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#16

Post by aetherson » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:14 AM UTC

b112 wrote: post #14

kumarvvr wrote: post #12

Its funny that western history distorts the history of the rest of the world. I hear western kids saying no one used to bathe in the ancient times. As an Indian, it was practically mandatory for each and every individual to take a bath at-least two times a day. Additionally the following customs were very prevalent till recent times. 1. Washing legs after coming home from outside. 2. Washing hands, face and legs befo…

[flagged]

While the large majority of people were peasants, the ratio obviously wasn't 99,999:1.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#17

Post by b112 » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:17 AM UTC

klodolph wrote: post #7

phyzome wrote: post #3

Tangential question: Why do humans place emphasis on bathing, when most other animals don't seem to need to do it? (I think in the US we bathe more than we actually need to, but on the other hand I assume that the strong cross-cultural emphasis indicates that we do actually need to do it to some degree to stay healthy.) Maybe something about our unusual skin, and how we sweat to stay cool?

Most other animals? Well, most birds bathe. Elephants shower themselves with their trunks. Cats bathe themselves with their tongues, dogs get in the water and then shake themselves dry, and pigs wallow in the mud. Seems like what makes humans different here is that we use soap.

Animals also use things akin to soap. Birds love to bath in the ashes of a fire, the lye burns parasites, the dust chokes them.

I've watched many a bird do so, after a fire.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#18

Post by eevilspock » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:18 AM UTC

History is written by the upper class, especially in past times when only the upper caste could read or write.

Even if what the author says is true about medieval upper caste people (I don't doubt it), I have trouble believing that peasants could afford the cost and time required of regular bathing. Water didn't come easily unless you happened to live next to a river or have a well next to your house. We've all seen women in third world countries carrying water for cooking and drinking on their heads, often long distances. And we haven't even gotten to the costs of the other things she mentions. Poor people rarely ate meat because they couldn't afford it; where are they going to get animal fat to make soap?

The author doesn't provide any evidence, just makes claims using words to imply you're stupid if you doubt her. All the "photographic" evidence she provides all pretty clearly DO NOT depict poor people.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#19

Post by malx0x » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:19 AM UTC

kumarvvr wrote: post #12

Its funny that western history distorts the history of the rest of the world. I hear western kids saying no one used to bathe in the ancient times. As an Indian, it was practically mandatory for each and every individual to take a bath at-least two times a day. Additionally the following customs were very prevalent till recent times. 1. Washing legs after coming home from outside. 2. Washing hands, face and legs befo…

By personal experience, it's a shame those customs didn't continue.

Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)

#20

Post by swatcoder » Sat, Aug 06, 2022, 3:19 AM UTC

b112 wrote: post #14

kumarvvr wrote: post #12

Its funny that western history distorts the history of the rest of the world. I hear western kids saying no one used to bathe in the ancient times. As an Indian, it was practically mandatory for each and every individual to take a bath at-least two times a day. Additionally the following customs were very prevalent till recent times. 1. Washing legs after coming home from outside. 2. Washing hands, face and legs befo…

[flagged]

I don’t think you’re aware of how much any capable person can procure for themselves and their peers, throughout almost all of global history.

Peasants may not maintain secure access to everything, but historically it doesn’t take wealth to have a sturdy shelter, water, warmth, and food, and even some luxuries. It’s a little different in modern times, but those basics were mostly available to everyone just through labor and time, of which peasants have quite a lot.