Did you know that the sludge after the body sweats is a baby? The sweaty body dirt of ancient Greek and Roman athletes turned out to be a popular commodity, and the reason is eye-opening.
First, the ancient Greco-Roman method of removing body dirt
In ancient Greece and Rome, people rubbed their bodies with olive oil to remove sweat and dirt. Dirt on the body that was rubbed off, especially on athletes, was considered to have a therapeutic effect and was a popular commodity at the time.
Apply dirt scraped from the sweat and skin of athletes to yourself and sell it to admirers who want to emulate their vitality and health.
In ancient Greece and Rome, ideas about keeping clean seemed very different than they are now. The Romans were known for their elaborate plumbing systems, warm public baths, sanitation facilities such as flush toilets, but this was before the invention of soap.
How did they remove dirt from their bodies before soap appeared? It's a file called a scraper. This was one of the most popular tools not only used by the Romans, but also by the Greeks and Etruscans before it.
General files were made of simple bronze without ornamentation, but wealthy people used luxuriously decorated files made of silver or tin.
Before exercising or going to the public bath, they apply olive oil to their bodies and wipe them with a degreaser. Slaves used curved metal pipes to wipe away excess oil, sweat, and dirt.
Second, the dirt scraped off the athlete's body has become a popular commodity
These dirt, scraped from the sweat and skin of athletes, are sold to admirers, who apply these dirt to their own bodies to mimic their vitality and health.
This mixture of dirt, sweat, and oil, which can have an unpleasant odor, is called a "luminous body" and is considered something very precious, so athletes lean there, leaving sweat marks on the walls of public baths. There were even people who deliberately scraped off the wall.
In addition, wealthy Roman women would buy small bottles containing dirt from the body of strong gladiators as fine perfumes. It is also said that this is used as a barrier cream.
Is human dirt really good for health?
This "dirt" is described in the Natural History, and the ancient Romans used it to treat hemorrhoids, joint swelling, inflammation, and even genital infections.
Doctors collect foul-smelling dirt from the floor, walls, statues of indoor arenas and use it for medical treatment.
An inscription found in the indoor arena of Beleier, Macedonia, in the 2nd century BC, mentions the sale of dirt collected from customers. It is said to be used to pay for the labor cost of security.
Does the mixture of oil scale and olive oil really have a health effect?
Modern science is also studying the skin microbiota (living microorganisms in the skin), but it is not yet fully understood. But even if there is a health effect, it is because of the olive oil and antibacterial copper produced when the oil is removed. I speculate that they may think it's scraped human dirt at work.
I don't know if you can accept the ancient Greek and Roman practice of treating sludge as a treasure, welcome to comment.
Proofreading: Lu Huajie #See each other in the headlines ##Headline Creation Challenge ##人人能科普, everywhere new knowledge ##污垢 #
