In fact, maybe they bathed TOO much: https://going-medieval.com/2019/08/02/i-assure-you-medieval-...
But they also gave us soap, there's that.
I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
251–260 of 360 posts
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#252Earlier quoted context omitted.
https://youtu.be/pUHApERY0G8
Thanks! This is very illustrative, just like I wanted. (Was too lazy to search myself, of course.) As expected, it's pretty tight in there. I know that rural people of old were much more fit than I am, and I would get cramps in several muscles of each leg and in my sides after three minutes in there.
I guess that tall people could build bigger ovens for themselves. Also oven usually has some extra space inside, so it's not as tight as it looks. But yeah, of course it's not something one would do other than of necessity.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#253The Old Norse word for Saturday, laugardagr, literally means "washing day". This custom still survives here in countryside Eastern Europe where many people routinely go to sauna (banya) every Saturday (or Sunday like my family). Before the 20th century, a lot of Eastern Europe (especially Russia) still lived like they lived in the middle ages: 95% of the country were serfs on feudal property living in traditional woo…
No post body was provided.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#254The Old Norse word for Saturday, laugardagr, literally means "washing day". This custom still survives here in countryside Eastern Europe where many people routinely go to sauna (banya) every Saturday (or Sunday like my family). Before the 20th century, a lot of Eastern Europe (especially Russia) still lived like they lived in the middle ages: 95% of the country were serfs on feudal property living in traditional woo…
Quoted post unavailable.
First of all, they say "here in countryside eastern Europe", so they're speaking of a situation they're intimately familiar with.
Secondly, they're describing a situation from "before the 20th century" and extrapolating societal customs and norms from that.
Nowhere does it say that current eastern europe lacks showers. The most they say about the now is that not all people can afford a sauna in their home.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#255bathing and hygiene were not in direct correlation in ancient history, the correlation between unwashed hands, germs and diseases was long to be discovered.
Bathing was mostly a ritualistic activity or a social activity (see Roman thermal baths)
We know Romans, Egyptians and very possibly other cultures shaved themselves almost completely both as a social gathering activity (barbershops were very popular places for gossips and news) and to prevent lices.
So yeah they bathed, some ancient cultures did that a lot, they might have been clean people, doesn't mean their hygiene was generally good nor better than the civilizations before them.
They still walked around in cities or villages with no sewage systems where people and animals lived together.
It's no mistery and no wonder that medieval times were plagued by all kinds of diseases and epidemics.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#256That's why a lot of medieval RPG's have soaps in them. Even Elden Ring has it lol.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#257Earlier quoted context omitted.
Quoted post unavailable.
First of all, they say "here in countryside eastern Europe", so they're speaking of a situation they're intimately familiar with. Secondly, they're describing a situation from "before the 20th century" and extrapolating societal customs and norms from that. Nowhere does it say that current eastern europe lacks showers. The most they say about the now is that not all people can afford a sauna in their home.
No post body was provided.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#258Quoted post unavailable.
> Where are all the bath tubs found in excavations?
medieval bath tubs have survived intact in many places, they are not so old that you need excavation to retrieve them.
> Why the low life expectancy?
Because people died young much more often.
Just like in the west today is for USA.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#259Earlier quoted context omitted.
You're gonna be disappointed in the rest of the internet and a significant amount of the adults in the world if this language is so foul as to bother you. Completely unnecessary callout. Either way, a skim of some google results looking for other articles on medieval bathing references evidence in the form of obituaries mentioning deaths of peasants while bathing in rivers, as well as the existence of bathhouses in s…
- soap is a motherfucking medieval invention - Your peasant ass - Medieval bathhouses were big fucking business. - Sex workers be showing right TF up in the public baths. - clearly, fucking clearly medieval people bathed - they wanted you to not be going down the bath house and getting your fuck on. - Hitting your chest with rocks and sitting in the desert trying not to wank This is completely unnecessary. You forget…
Also worth considering that the author refers to herself with the title "Dr.", suggesting an implicit demand to receive all the respect and prestige that presumptively attends such an honorific.
Re: I assure you, medieval people bathed (2019)
#260Here are some contra points:
- Aztecs were burning incense around the conquistadors to hide their unpleasant body odor (documented)
- The Christian Church actually said bathing naked was forbidden
- the pope instructed all public bath to be closed
- The monks order clearly said to bath only once a year
- general decline of the cities caused that a lot of public baths to be closed. Rome had none in medieval time.
- Muslim and Byzantine records mentioned how dirty westener were
My understanding was that bathing was strongly discouraged by church and in places where church did not have a lot on influence or they become Christian latter like Skandinavia bathing was still considered important.