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Bathrooms: A Historical Aspect

Literally a Bathroom means "a room that contains a bath." Since the traditional way of looking into things has changed and modern equipments have replaced the old technologies, we are more likely to see a shower, a wash basin and a toilet fixture; we can define a Bathroom as a place or "a room where an individual bathes."

Unlike any other article that describes the design considerations of a Bathroom or the appliances used or even the architectural aspects reflecting a person's tastes and preferences of beauty and status, this simple piece of writing tries to focus on the historical aspect of the Bathroom.

Keeping aside the hygiene considerations, the first records of the usage of Bathrooms can be dated back to 3000 B.C. when water held a strong religious value and was considered to play an elemental role in purifying the body and soul of an individual. Baths were a part of the village and city life during this entire period. There were separate areas for erecting communal baths. They were at a distance from the living quarters. This was believed to be able to prevent the evil spirits in the dwelling areas.

Excavations of 2800 B.C. Mohenjo-Daro revealed that most of the houses during that period had their own bathing rooms. These bathing rooms were usually located on the ground floor and had brick-made bath. The water was directed out into the municipal drainage via holes on the floor or pottery pipes fixed on the walls. Records reveal that even the great Egyptians rarely had special Bathrooms.

The first bathtub dates back to 1700 B.C. Situated in the Knossos palace in Crete, this bath has a remarkable similarity with the modern day baths as well as the plumbing. The Egyptians as well as the Romans considered bathing as an integral part of lifestyle. The writers like Homer made their heroes bathe in warm water to regain their power and strength. This religious aspect explains why the mother of the historic and mythical hero Achilles bathed him in warm water. According to the myth, Achilles gained his invincibility after that bath. Greek excavation unearthed the sophisticated clay bathtubs and drainage systems.

The large thermal baths which were purposely built by the Romans displays their attitude towards bath. These thermal baths were a source to provide public relaxation. The Roman citizens enjoyed incense sticks, mirrors and combs in their bath owing to the international trade in which they were engaged. This was possible because of the strength of the then Roman empire.

There is a general belief that the tradition of bathing declined with the decline of the Roman Empire but, the notion is not very true. The Middle Age marks the beginning of soap production and usage. It was the period after Renaissance when bathing declined because of the notion that water was a disease carrier. Sweat bath along with heavy perfume was preferred.

16th, 17th and the 18th century saw the decline of public baths and private baths replaced the same. This laid the 20th century Bathroom foundation which we relish with varied decorations and designs. Modern 'state of art' artifacts replace the once golden and beautiful bathing art.

About the Author
Caleb Anderson invites you to visit Find This Online an online resource guide that offers a variety of articles written on different subjects. Browse through plenty of useful articles, information, content and resources on the subject. Visit us Here for more articles on bathrooms.