Bath and the north: to history of a question and traditions of culture

Annotation

The mankind used from time immemorial a bath to what results of the archaeological, ethnographic
and other researches which have defined its approximate «age» over 25 centuries testify.
For a long time the bath is highly appreciated at all people, is an integral part of their culture and
a life. The role of the bath inseparably linked with national traditions, always was multipurpose in
a life-support system of ethnoses. The bath carries out functions: hygienic, improving, removing
weariness after physical work, preventive. In ceremonial rituals the bath was means of protection
from evil ghosts and clarification. The magic role of a bath is connected with outlook of the people.
The ceremonial bath with ritually-magic actions has practically become obsolete, but with a view
of improvement, psychological influence, preservation of a healthy way of life in the people quite
often come back and to these sacral traditions.

About authors

Nikonova Ludmila, doctor of history, professor of State Research
Institute of the Humanities by the Government of the Republic
of Mordovia Head of Department of Archaeology and Ethnography.
The priority research topics: traditional life-support
system, traditional methods of health care, traditional medicine,
the bath in life-support system, settling of the Mordvins in Russia,
ethnopsychology.
Contact Phone: 8 (8342) 47-20-99, 8-927-
181-66-53, fax: 8 (8342) 24-62-42.
E-mail: congress7@list.ru.

Kandrina Irina, Ph. D. in history of State Research Institute of
the Humanities by the Government of the Republic of Mordovia.
The priority research topics: traditional methods of health care,
traditional medicine, the bath in life-support system.
Contact Phone: 8 (8342) 47-20-99, 8-927-181-66-53,
fax: 8 (8342) 24-62-42.
E-mail: congress7@list.ru.

Keywords

social and cultural space, the North, history, a bath, preventive health care, health

DOI

UDC

39:615.832.5(470.1/2)(091)(045)