THE TRADITION & ORIGINS OF THE HAMMAM

Hammam meaning “the spreader of warmth”.

 

Turkish Hammams

The Hammam or Turkish bath is a place of public bathing and a prominent feature in the culture of the Ottoman Empire.  Not only did Hammams play a central role in promoting public health and hygiene, but also served as a meeting place where people could relax, socialize, clear their minds, and purify themselves. The Ottomans inspired by their religion considered bathing to be a purification ritual completed before prayers.  Traditional Turkish baths consist of three interconnecting rooms: a camekan, a sıcaklık, and a soğukluk.   

Camekan- an entrance hall that served as a reception and locker room where one would undress and receive a pestemal (Turkish towel) to cover the body and a pair of wooden slippers to prevent slipping on the wet floor. A tellack would then escort the individual to the sıcaklık.  

Sıcaklık- this is the room where the magic happens. One is surrounded by thick wet steam to relax the muscles, detoxify the body and open up their pores. The treatment then begins with a massage to stimulate blood flow followed by the pouring of warm water on the body and a rigorous body scrub using the traditional kese mitt to remove dead skin. It is said that while one is exfoliated, they are purified from dirt in both body and soul.  After rinsing off the dead skin, black soap made with eucalyptus oil, olive oil and macerated olives is massaged into the skin. Following the final cleanse and cool water rinse the body feels rejuvenated leaving one with a natural glow.    

Sogulkluk- the final room is a recovery room and a tea lounge, where one can relax, re-hydrate and re-energize with a warm cup of tea and traditional Turkish sweets. 

 

 

 

Morrocan Hammams

Hammams in Morocco consists of a similar 3 room structure and offer the same bathing ritual as the Turkish Hammam. Traditional Islamic hammams in Morocco have rooms that are lined with taps where running water can be drawn instead of bathing pools. As a result Moroccan hammams are hot and humid, rather than steamy. Traditionally, the heat for the Moroccan hammam was provided by the farnatchi, the man in charge of tending the fire beneath the bathhouse that heats its floors and walls. Moroccan Hammams have an additional step following the scrub and cleanse.  A hydrating Rhassoul masque is applied to the body and hair. Rhassoul is a saponiferous clay found in the Middle Atlas, it is rich in mineral salts and draws toxins to the surface of the skin, tightening pores and regulating the secretion of sebum. The clay is usually mixed with a range of aromatic plants (rose petals, cloves, eucalyptus, lichens and chamomile, for example) and then made into a liquid paste with water for application.  Once it is rinsed off, it is followed by an orange-flower water or lemon juice skin tonic.

 

 

Hammams Today Hammams continue to be a prominent part of social-cultural history across the Middle East and Northern Africa.  While modern day Hammams can be found all around the globe today, the oldest hammams are found in countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Greece, and Cyprus. 

  

Fun Facts:

• The ruins of the oldest Islamic hammam in Morocco can be found in Volubilis and dates back to the 8^thcentury, when the Arabs arrived.
• The 1572 Mouassine hammam is the oldest in Marrakech.
• The oldest Turkish bath built in 1454, Ağa Hamamı,can be found in Istanbul, and is one of the many baths in Turkey frequented by locals and tourists today.  

My first Turkish Hammam experience was in Istanbul at the AyaSofya Hurrem Sultan Hammam.  The hammam was so wonderfully peaceful and luxurious. From marble stones, breathtaking architecture and design, and amazing hospitality, the experience was nothing short of spiritual. After a two-hour treatment that started in a hot steamy room followed by a deep exfoliation using a traditional kess mitt, and then finally being lathered in bubbly soap, I felt rejuvenated in body and spirit.