Heathens were known for high grooming standards, in comparison to other European peoples. They even had a day of the week set aside for ritual bathing, Laugrdagr, which later became Saturday. How much this custom was influenced by Rome and Byzantium is an open question, but the question that intrigues me right now is: what did they use for fragrances? Or did they not use them?
My new fascination with perfumes and my lifelong study of heathen history intersect here. I didn't recall ever seeing any mention of what perfumes the ancient heathens made or wore, either in the Viking Age or before. But I thought that possibly it was because I was not seeking that information when I read about those times.
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Steven, there is a sauna tradition across northern Europe, from Norway to Russia, centering on Finland, which may have been its or
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Erin, can you think of any references to the sauna/sweat-bath in the Norse lore? I've always thought it a circumpolar tradition ge