History & Heritage
3.21.2023
Hammam : what are the origins of this ancestral ritual ?
The hammam is part of the rituals rooted in the cultures of the Maghreb and the Middle East. Also called “Moorish bath”, it has spread widely in the West. And for good reason, this place full of mystery, offers an experience that goes beyond well-being, between escape and traditions. Origins, layout of spaces and cultural life, discover the history of the hammam.
The hammam and its ancestral origins
Going back in time, the first bathing complexes (thermal baths) were built during the Roman Empire in 27 BC. Huge and public baths, where Romans liked to go to exchange, to know the latest gossip and to wash themselves.
It is with the advent of Islam in the seventh century, that hammams are born in the Ottoman Empire and the Maghreb countries. The term “hammam” comes from the Arabic word “hamim” which means “hot water”. It means a steam bath wet, where we come to purify before the prayer, in accordance with the recommendations of the Koran. Hammams are often located near mosques.
By diffusing a humid heat, the hammam makes it possible to dilate the pores and to evacuate toxins via sudation. A deep cleaning that also brings a deep relaxation.
The well thought-out structure of a steam room
The hammam usually consists of several rooms. First, there is a rest room at room temperature, where there are changing rooms and showers. Then comes the second room called transition room, called tepidarium, with a temperature that increases slightly. Finally, the course leads to a hotter room, called caldarium, which can reach over 40 degrees. If the objective is to sweat, other treatments – such as massage or hair removal – can be offered.
The ritual also includes a body cleansing with black soap and a scrub with a kessa. This exfoliating glove, traditionally used in Morocco, removes dead skin and impurities.
Hammam and lifestyle
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The hammam plays a fundamental role in the social life of Muslim countries. It is a popular place, which allows to wash, but also to purify the body and the spirit. Women and men are separated, either by spaces dedicated to each, or by the establishment of a calendar where certain periods are reserved for one or the other sex.
In the past, the hammam gathered all social classes. For women, it was a place of escape, a moment out of time, far from the constraints of daily life and isolation.
The art of the hammam is still alive, both in the East and in the West. It is a moment of sharing and intimacy, attracting more and more people charmed by these ancestral rites.
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