There's a line in [[Civil Mage|Civil Mage]] ([[Civil Mage Chapter 01 - Sewers|Civil Mage Chapter 01]]) that goes: "She wanted to tell him that the strangest part of coming to civilization as a child had been indoor toilets, and the Lysarian habit of defecating near their dining halls still secretly disgusted her." After I wrote it, I wanted to do a little more digging into how different societies in my fantasy world might approach cleanliness, since in real life, it varies so much by region. ## Fun Facts - In Japan, it is considered respectful to wash your body before entering one of the hot springs. - Korean bathhouses are known for their exfoliating scrub-downs. - Felt hats are worn in very hot sauna to keep the head cool. - Native American sweat lodges traditionally do not allow menstruating women. - Temazcals are located in caves, where the bather rubs mud, aloe or herbs on the body, and then washes off in a limestone water pool. ## Baths & Toilets The earliest European bathrooms, toilets and sewage drainage comes from [[Bronze Age]] [[who the Minoans were and theories for their decline|Minoan]] (and Mycenaean) Crete circa 2000 BCE. They used terracotta water pipes and wooden toilet seats. \[[Source](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNTgxMDQ1NTQxNDAyMzE4Nzk5JmM9cjJzNiZiPTQ4Mzk2MzY1OCZkPXIxazJuMnM=.7eivAkDxRtnNsKti9BE11S0mJEvmrftchSlpaOKaCb8)\] (See also: [[2022-08-01 Sewers]]) ## Homeopathic Baths Sand baths, where people bury themselves in hot sand dunes in order to improve circulation and relieve arthritis pain, are increasingly common in Asian and African medical tourism. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNTgxMDQ1NTQxNDAyMzE4Nzk5JmM9cjJzNiZiPTQ4Mzk2MzY2MSZkPXU0YThhMXA=.CptFqaJU3X0ih4wXC8lVpvOv0z7bCM4DKzYSamKD1Yw)\] ## Birch Steam In cold climates, especially where running water is difficult to acquire, a small amount of water on very hot stones in a hot room (i.e., a sauna) can create steam (and sweat) that cleanses the body. Traditionally in Slavic countries they are accompanied by a "whipping" massage with birch. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNTgxMDQ1NTQxNDAyMzE4Nzk5JmM9cjJzNiZiPTQ4Mzk2MzY2NyZkPWc2eTZxN3c=.jp3CYNlrjnoBPzNRos3zh_slEtg7TEaPdslo-m3NQdA)\] (Note: This may be relevant for [[Scythian|Scythians]]). ## Barbarian Baths Unfamiliar bathing rituals, such as the Tibetan "Washing Festival" in the 7th lunar month, in which men and women bathe together naked in a river to cleanse themselves and wash their clothes, are often used to justify accusations of barbarism by expansionist Imperialist regimes like the Han Chinese. \[[Read More](https://click.mailerlite.com/link/c/YT0xNTgxMDQ1NTQxNDAyMzE4Nzk5JmM9cjJzNiZiPTQ4Mzk2MzY3MCZkPXQ5aTNsMW8=.Xc_3Us_wdgMnSlTFKJN77OIRF1BuCubMKR0SOWrDi1A)\] <div class=infobox>If you found this interesting, you may also enjoy </div>