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Did everyone just stink in the Dark Ages?

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Originally posted by: Kadarin
Originally posted by: Rastus
In the middle ages; most people, of all classes went their entire lives without ever bathing. The once per week bath is an early 20th century innovation.
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Don't forget that there were other civilizations that had hygienic standards. For example, I'm guessing that in ancient Rome, people didn't walk around covered with decades worth of dirt and stink.
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But the Romans were fanatic about baths and bath houses. Every where they went and contoured. And where they conquered they built baths.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermae
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Roman_bathing
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/roman/
 
Originally posted by: Googer
But the Romans were fanatic about baths and bath houses. Every where they went and contoured. And where they conquered they built baths.
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And left hair rings around their empire.

 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Yes they did. Go smell some Amish people today. I kid you not.
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I meet Amish people on a nearly daily basis. I do some business with them. A significant portion of my community is Amish. I can't recall ever smelling body odor on an Amish person.
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You just don't know you're Amish yet. Quick, hide the electricity before Uncle Jed comes home from the barley fields!






😉
 
Originally posted by: daveymark
another myth is that indians (dot not feather) smell very bad
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uh their particular stench is due to diet, not hygiene.

I dont mind the smell but other people do.
 
Hasn't anyone here read "The Perfume", or seen the movie? Read the prologue at the very least...

As for the Romans... Yes, they were bathing... but even the societies who bathed regularly were lacking in dental hygiene.

If you really want to be grossed out, imagine how it felt to smell everyone's fetid breath....
 

I live in the American Gardens building on West 81st street. My name is Patrick Bateman. I'm 27 years old. I believe in taking care of myself, and a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion. There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me. Only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our life styles are probably comparable, I simply am not there.
 
Also consider that most candles were made from tallow back then, so you had that nasty smell to deal with as well.
 
Originally posted by: Squisher

I live in the American Gardens building on West 81st street. My name is Patrick Bateman. I'm 27 years old. I believe in taking care of myself, and a balanced diet and a rigorous exercise routine. In the morning, if my face is a little puffy, I'll put on an ice pack while doing my stomach crunches. I can do a thousand now. After I remove the ice pack, I use a deep pore cleanser lotion. In the shower, I use a water activated gel cleanser. Then a honey almond body scrub. And on the face, an exfoliating gel scrub. Then apply an herb mint facial mask, which I leave on for 10 minutes while I prepare the rest of my routine. I always use an aftershave lotion with little or no alcohol, because alcohol dries your face out and makes you look older. Then moisturizer, then an anti-aging eye balm followed by a final moisturizing protective lotion. There is an idea of a Patrick Bateman, some kind of abstraction, but there is no real me. Only an entity, something illusory. And though I can hide my cold gaze, and you can shake my hand and feel flesh gripping yours and maybe you can even sense our life styles are probably comparable, I simply am not there.
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don't make me delt smash you
 
Originally posted by: Kadarin
Originally posted by: Rastus
In the middle ages; most people, of all classes went their entire lives without ever bathing. The once per week bath is an early 20th century innovation.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that there were other civilizations that had hygienic standards. For example, I'm guessing that in ancient Rome, people didn't walk around covered with decades worth of dirt and stink.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but Romans overall were cleaner, the roads they built were organized so that sewage would fall to the side and bottom of the road, and thus, didn't have all that garbage hanging around. They also believed in clean water, thus the aqueducts bringing water in from the mountains.
 
Originally posted by: daveymark
how would you describe the smell?
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Spicy
Originally posted by: redly1
I bet oral sex was a rare occasion back then
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In Roman times, oral sex was performed by the female wife on the male, but if she wanted some too, a male servant would do it, instead of husband. Just one of those things I guess.
 
Why does everyone assume those in the dark ages and in the past were covered in mud?

People at that time avoided bathing, they still cleaned things. They did have a natural smell that most would fine bad. Royalty and nobles had perfumes and the like.

 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Yes they did. Go smell some Amish people today. I kid you not.
Click to expand...

I meet Amish people on a nearly daily basis. I do some business with them. A significant portion of my community is Amish. I can't recall ever smelling body odor on an Amish person.
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Try this then....have you and your amish friends approach someone from the city and see if they start gagging.
 
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