Személyes higiénia és fürdőkultúra a nomád népeknél

Abstract

The written sources draw a surprisingly diverse picture about the personal hygiene of the nomads. Some of the sources depict them deliberately dirty, untidy, while others, on the contrary, describe them as tidy and well-groomed. After a survey of the sources it seems indisputable that certain nomadic groups cannot be lumped together. There were significant differences between individual groups, which might be connected to regional and geographical diversity. In the meantime a considerable discrepancy can be detected between the actual demands for hygiene of certain nomadic groups and the reality of their opportunities for having a bath. Their intention can be observed in the written sources that inform us about nomads who regularly visited and used the baths built by the settled people. The tools of personal hygiene like mirrors and earspoons in the archaeological material of the nomads confirm this view as well. As a conclusion, it can be stated that the cultural background of the authors of the written sources (such as the Graeco-Roman and the Muslim world, or medieval Europe) determined their attitude and opinion towards the personal hygiene or cleanliness of the nomads.