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Baths, Bathrooms, Bathhouses, OH MY!
Baths, BAthrooms, Bathhouses, OH MY!
The development of ancient toilets although may sound uninteresting is one of the most evolutionary aspects of ancient life. Ancient toilet designs were made for functional reasons rather than aesthetics and privacy much like they are today. This focus on functionality allowed for many innovative sewer systems and toilet design development that may have not occurred if the focus had been elsewhere. Places such as Mesopotamia, Greece, and Italy developed some of the most prominent toilet designs at the time including the Garderobe, and were developing communal and private restrooms. Toilet function and availability also varied by class much like all things did and it led to an extreme discrepancy in disease driven by human waste. Overall the toilet designs in central Europe became the blueprint for many toilet designs today. Shifting to the development of Onsen bathhouses in Japan, much like the communal restroom, this was a shared practice; the only difference being the sacred connotation. The Onsen, meaning hot spring, naturally developed with the rise of Buddhism in Japan. Onsen’s provide emotional and physical healing properties by associating with Buddhist tradition, and often with certain deities. Throughout Japanese history, Onsen’s were established in 522 BCE evolving mainly from the 12th century to the 19th century. Many practices still take place today although sadly an abundance of them have become commercialized on the mainland. Still, the religious context of Onsen’s holds a high value in Japan and bathing rituals overall to heal the mind and body through Buddhist rituals.
MAPS + TIMELINES
NICOLE JACKSON | IARC 475 RESEARCH
Take a look at what I have researched with my team through my Winter term! If you enjoy reading about toilets and baths then you’ll LOVE reading my following posts! Enjoy. (:
JAMIE YEUNG | IARC 475 RESEARCH
Who knew the histories of toilets and bathhouses were so fun?! Check out my posts for more!
AVA JONES | IARC 475 RESEARCH
It is crazy how much one can learn about toilets and baths when nowadays these topics might sometimes get over-looked. Come learn about infamous toilets and old baths with me down below!
EMMA ROPE | IARC 475 RESEARCH
Public toilets, public sponges, public baths, public bathhouses! By public, I mean shared. And by shared, I mean many, many, people used these appliances right after one another. Intrigued yet? Click below for more!
About J.A.N.E Interiors
We are a group of aspiring interior architects who strive for greatness. We each have our unique perspectives in the world of design and it works greatly for us! We became the “dream team” in our first vertical design studio where we had the opportunity to gain more knowledge and explore ideas together as a team. From then on, we have mostly enjoyed group projects and are happy to take on the challenges that come with it. With that being said, we hope you all have enjoyed reading and viewing our posts and thank you to our professor, Solmaz Kive for this additional opportunity for teamwork practice.
Best, J.A.N.E
