Noa & Una’s Marginalia 📜 Did Medieval Europeans Never Bathe?

🌐On today's internet, people often come across all kinds of information about medieval Europe. Some of it is true, some of it is false, and some falls somewhere in between. One of the most widespread myths is… "People in medieval Europe never bathed!"

🫧In reality, medieval people cared much about cleanliness. They regularly washed the parts of the body that were used most often or seen by others, such as the face, mouth, and hands. Keeping these areas clean was part of everyday life.

❓But what about bathing? Public bathhouses existed in many towns and cities, where people could enjoy a hot bath and catch up on local gossip with their neighbors. These bathhouses were warm, lively places that served as important social gathering spots.

🛁The Sisters of Ordo Mediare also had their own bathhouse, where the sisters could wash away the dirt and exhaustion of labor and training. Several of them might share a large wooden bathing tub, chatting, splashing water, and enjoying one of the most relaxing moments of the day or even the week.

🔥Just don't get too carried away while playing in the bathhouse! After all, heating water is hard work for the logistic sisters. Wasting water is strictly forbidden!

Sources

• Bathing and Hygiene in the Middle Ages – Medieval History

• Bathing in the Middle Ages – Notes from the U.K.

• Did people in the Middle Ages take baths? – Medievalists.net

• I assure you, medieval people bathed. – Going Medieval

• Medieval Bath & Hygiene Display – Rosalie Medieval Women

• Scrub-a-Dub in a Medieval Tub – JSTOR Daily

• Wenceslas Bible – Wikipedia