Temazcal (Mesoamerican steam bath)
Temazcal (baño de vapor mesoamericano)
- Date
- c. century VI · confidence low
- Place
- Piedras Negras, Petén, Guatemala
- Credited to
- Maya and Nahua peoples
- Field
- Tools
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A closed chamber, of adobe or stone, in which water is poured over heated stones to make steam; it serves as a cleansing bath, a remedy and a rite. There are Maya examples at Piedras Negras and other sites.
Steam baths are documented at several Classic and Postclassic sites, but the date of origin cannot be fixed; a Classic Maya example is noted as a reference, with a very broad date range.
What it led to
- hygiene and traditional medicine in Mesoamerica
- ceremonial steam bath after childbirth and illness
- present-day temazcales for tourism and therapy