Hammam

Also: hamam, turkish bath

The hammam is a public bathhouse with hot rooms, steam, marble benches and an attendant who scrubs the bather with a coarse mitt and soap. It descends from Roman baths and is found from Morocco to Turkey, where it is a place of social life as much as cleansing. Women go before weddings with the bride and her friends, and mothers bathe newborns. A visit may last hours, with tea, fruit and conversation, and the custom includes a ritual washing before major festivals. Many old hammams are being restored, and others have become spas for visitors. Local etiquette asks for modest dress and respect for quiet.

Region: North Africa

See also

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