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Uncovering the Fascinating History of Saunas and Their Origins

The Fascinating History of Saunas: From Ancient Rituals to Modern Wellness For thousands of years, people across continents have discovered the rejuvenating power of heat, each culture crafting its own unique approach to sweating for health, cleansing, and relaxation. Each version of the sauna throughout history is either mildly or massively different than the saunas we use today. The modern sauna evolved from the best traits of history’s many saunas. Learning the evolution and history of saunas isn’t only a fun lesson in cultural differences and preferences. Understanding the saunas of yesterday gives a better insight into why today’s saunas act and perform the way they do. Exploring the evolution of saunas reveals shared traditions and timeless rituals. It’s fascinating to see how ancient heat practices shaped the relaxing, restorative sauna experiences we enjoy today. This journey through the evolution of sauna use in different cultures will showcase saunas in their many forms, organized according to the findings of the archaeological and anthropological community. History of the Word “Sauna” First, why do we call saunas “saunas”? Many of you likely already know that sauna is a Finnish word for their distinct style of the hot house, but bonus points for those who know what the word truly means! Sauna (pronounced SAUW-nah, like a sow saying “nah”) just means bathhouse. But interestingly, sauna has become an international shorthand for several bathhouses, even those that aren’t from Finnish origins. The cultural significance and history of saunas in Finland has led to the word’s adaptation into many other languages. From French (identical spelling) to Japanese, where it is one of only a handful of Finnish phonetic loan words in the language. But interestingly enough, the Japanese language actually has another word for their own domestic traditional public bathhouses (sentou). Today, the word sauna no longer has to strictly refer to Finnish-style saunas and instead can generally reference just about any kind of bathhouse. The history of Finnish sauna is deeply intertwined with global bathing traditions, reflecting centuries of evolution and cultural exchange. In this article, we’ll explore the history of Finnish sauna traditions alongside other sauna practices from around the world, showing how the concept of saunas has expanded and evolved. Ancient Sauna Traditions: The Origins of Saunas Across Cultures This section will explain the several “firsts” in the history of saunas across the world. Of the several bathhouses that sprung up throughout history, the modern saunas owe just about all of their best traits to these trailblazers. The History of Saunas: From Africa to Modern Times Some archaeological findings indicate that the earliest forms of heat bathing might have first appeared in Africa, where ancient communities used warmth and steam for purification and healing. This is even earlier than the first Finnish saunas. While no community has meaningfully determined the earliest use of these saunas, the anthropological records of their use date back at least to 9,000 B.C.E. These original saunas are thought to have been medicinally used by the people who built them. These saunas were built underground in a way that is still used today for more classic boilers. A person would create a hole large enough to sit in, then light a fire beneath it to generate heat and transform it into a simple steam chamber. Once the fire burned down to embers, a platform with ventilation holes was placed over the smoking hole, and the person needing healing would sit in the hole. It might surprise readers to learn that history’s first saunas were used by just one person at a time. Modern infrared saunas, often perceived as a contemporary innovation, actually have roots in this solitary soaking tradition. This evolution from ancient sauna rituals shows how the concept has developed over thousands of years. The history of saunas is a fascinating journey of innovation, culture, and wellness that continues to evolve even today. Evolution & Cultural Significance of Saunas in Finland Finland’s connection to saunas stretches thousands of years into the past (around 7,000 B.C.E), with ancient communities creating simple, smoke-filled shelters that eventually evolved into the refined sauna experience we associate with the country today. Life in ancient Scandinavia was harsh, and these early saunas offered both warmth and survival comfort amid the cold climate. It gets cold in the winter, and you couldn’t just crank the heat before radiators were invented. The first Finnish saunas are actually functionally similar to the African saunas from the previous example. Those early Finns would dig holes into their houses or whatever lodging they could find and use the same fire system that people in Africa tried years before. But instead of using them for medicinal reasons, early Finns used saunas for survival. The first true Finnish saunas, made of wood and using wood-burning mechanisms, emerged around 50 B.C.E. These saunas closely resemble the wood-burning saunas still used today. They featured a wood stove to heat the room, and bathers began the practice of placing stones on top of the stove to create steam by splashing water, introducing the high-humidity element characteristic of modern steam saunas. We can’t talk about traditional Finnish saunas without mentioning how central they are to all of Finnish culture. Children were born in saunas throughout early history, most houses in Finland now have their own saunas, and the house of Finnish Parliament even has a sauna. Saunas were once a means of survival in Finland, but they have since become a way of life closely tied to health and relaxation. It’s easy to see why Finland consistently ranks among the world’s happiest nations! Greek Bathhouses Beyond Finland’s traditions, ancient Greek bathhouses also made a lasting impact on the development of sauna culture. Starting in early Greek civilisation and later adapted by the Romans, the bathhouses of these two civilisations were meeting points and central gatherings, very much so in the spirit of traditional Finnish saunas. But while Finnish saunas are traditionally quite small, they are so small usually to help hold in heat; Greek and Roman bathhouses are sprawling and multipurpose. Regularly the subject of painters in both Greek and Roman culture, bathhouses in this area was made to include multiple pools and lounge areas and could accommodate people by the thousand in most metropolitan examples. While some rooms were dedicated to heated areas like a Finnish sauna, Romanand Greekbathhouses usually used steam as heat, making them one of history’s first (debatably compared to our next entry) steam rooms. Roman and Greek baths incorporated a multi-step detox system fairly similar to modern spas in which people would bathe for cleanliness, use the sauna, and then take a final soak to cool down. The history of saunas can be traced back to these early bathing traditions, which laid the foundation for today’s diverse sauna traditions around the world. Turkish Hammam Unlike the Greek and Roman bathhouses, which evolved into modern spas, the Turkish Hammam is alive and well across the world. Sprouting up in Turkey around the same time as Ancient Greek baths, Hammam is the name for the entire traditional detox experience taken on by Turks and those lucky enough to have a local Hammam. Hammam is a sequence of detox practices that includes a sauna step, usually surrounded by massages and scrubbings. But the actual sauna in Turkish Hammam is once again a steam room heated by a central boiler. Very old examples of Turkish steam boilers actually heated from the sand, similar to Turkish-style coffee but on a bigger scale. But these traditional boilers have, of course, been replaced by electric versions of the same formula. The Turkish Hammam spread throughout the Middle East and eventually crossed borders with the Ancient Greek and Roman baths in Southern Europe. Their mixing has led to the rich bathhouse culture in Italy, Greece, Turkey, and their neighbors today. While the most traditional baths in these regions may keep to their most traditional practices, Greek architectural practices came to influence the Turks, and Turkish cleaning methods became more common in Greece and Italy. Aboriginal Sweat Lodges Here’s something interesting: sweat lodges of similar form and function were built by Australian Aboriginals, New Zealand Maori, and North/South American Indigenous Peoples, all seemingly independent of each other. While, of course, the Mawali and Aussie Aboriginals had ample cultural exchange, it is fascinating that sweat lodges are also a staple of several North American Indigenous Nations; examples span from the Navajo and Squamish all the way to the ancient Inca. Sweat lodges are usually clay or packed dirt domes no bigger than 15 square meters. Inside, there is usually a central fire which has a pad of rocks over the top (sound familiar?). The enclosed space usually has a small hole in the roof to let out excess heat and steam. Among almost all cultures who used them, sweat lodges are more than medicinal and more than communal. In most cases, sweat lodges were associated with higher thinking and even spiritualism. Where the Finnish saw sauna-found clarity as a connection with their health, Indigenous people across the world saw them as a connection with a higher power. Korean Jjimjilbang If you’ve ever visited a Korean spa, you’ve probably noticed that their saunas offer a distinctive experience unlike any other. Not quite a steam room and not quite a wood-burning sauna, what exactly is a Jjimjilbang? The Jjimjilbang first showed up in Korea about 500 years ago. At that time, the hot rooms in Jjimjilbang were heated by kiln heaters fed similarly to Finnish saunas, but they were usually in the same room or area as hot tubs. The result is a distinctive sauna environment that blends the dry warmth of traditional saunas with the soothing moisture found in steam rooms. Similar to Hammam, Jjimjilbangs are more than just saunas but instead an entire spa and cleaning experience separated by sex. The kiln-heated rooms in Jjimjilbang are usually the last step in the spa experience and directly follow a process of skin cleaning that includes intense scrubbing and wiping by Jjimjilbang staff to get the dead skin cells off you. Stepping into the hybrid heat of a jjimjilbang after such a major exfoliation can be a genuinely sublime feeling. The history of saunas shows how different cultures, like Korea with its Jjimjilbangs, have evolved unique interpretations of heat therapy to promote relaxation and wellness. The Global Spread of Saunas: How Saunas Became Popular in Modern Times You may notice that today’s saunas are functionally a celebration of the many saunas which came before them. With those key traits as a base, modern engineers and inventors made these major changes that brought about the saunas we see today. The history of saunas serves as a reminder that every innovation in sauna design builds upon centuries of cultural tradition and technological progress. The Creation of Electric Saunas The debut of the electric sauna in 1893 transformed traditional sauna culture, making heat therapy more accessible and adaptable to modern living. Invented by John Harvey Kellogg, this sauna was showcased at the Chicago World's Fair, the central stage for major inventions at that time. Unlike traditional sauna heating methods, which relied on wood-burning stoves, Kellogg’s invention used large heat-conductive light bulbs to create heat, without the need to heat the entire room. This made his sauna the first known example of an infrared sauna. Back then, the idea of using infrared heat for saunas was far ahead of its time. Even John Harvey Kellogg, a pioneer in sauna therapy, couldn’t yet grasp the full range of health benefits this innovation would one day offer. Nonetheless, this invention laid the foundation for the modern infrared saunas we see today. Evolution of Steam Baths: The Connection Between Saunas and Steam Rooms While the development of electric saunas was a challenge, the evolution of steam rooms followed a smoother path. The first electric steam rooms emerged shortly after the invention of the electric boiler. The early examples of electric steam rooms can be traced back to Turkey, but it was in 1892, at the Russian and Turkish Baths in New York City’s East Village, that the Western world began to take a serious interest in steam rooms. This facility, still operating today, was one of the first to utilize an electric boiler for its steam rooms, linking the history of steam baths with the evolution of sauna technology. Rebirth of Sauna Culture in Healing & Wellness Spaces Over time many cultures have recognized the healing properties of saunas. Across cultures and centuries, from ancient African practices to Finland’s iconic sauna rituals, the restorative power of heat bathing has long been celebrated for its health benefits. However, it wasn’t until the modern medical community began to study these effects in detail that sauna therapy became widely accepted as a wellness practice. While saunas have been an integral part of Finnish wellness for generations, it wasn’t until the last hundred years that the practice began gaining recognition as a form of therapy across Europe and North America. Modern doctors now recommend sauna therapy to patients for a variety of health conditions, reflecting the wisdom of ancient cultures that used saunas for healing. The infrared sauna also experienced a resurgence, thanks to research conducted by NASA in the 1960s. NASA explored the wavelengths emitted by light bulbs similar to those used by Kellogg in his early infrared saunas. Their findings showed that bathing in infrared light could have significant health benefits. The discoveries inspired the integration of infrared saunas into medical practices, and by the 1970s, this innovative technology had transitioned from clinical use to widespread availability across Europe and North America. The merits of sauna therapy are now well-explored, and the more doctors and scientists test, the more we learn that the intuition and guidance of cultures even 10,000 years in the past were more in tune with the body’s needs than we may be today. Europe and North America are quickly taking up sauna use for health benefits; infrared saunas saw a big boost of interest during the COVID-19 pandemic when public saunas were more difficult to reach. Ancient Rituals to Modern Wellness: How Saunas Support Health Today The saunas that we use today owe one or more of their traits to the saunas that came before them throughout history. But what do we know and understand today from the long history of saunas? Ancient sauna history reveals how early civilizations experimented with heat, steam, and natural materials to create the foundation for today’s modern designs. The most major achievement in modern saunas is the overhaul of the traditional wood-burning sauna from Finland. For thousands of years, Finnish saunas depended on burning wood to keep their heat up, but thanks to modern electrical and technological advances, many saunas in today’s spas and public bathhouses no longer have to burn wood by the forest-full. Some use a fully electric heater but still have space for sauna users to create steam. Others are experimenting with building bigger and more communal infrared saunas. But the problem with larger infrared saunas is that the more space infrared radiation has to spread out in the atmosphere, the more bulbs and strength you’ll require just to keep your subjects hot. The evolution of modern sauna technology continues to bridge tradition and innovation, blending age-old heat therapy with energy-efficient advancements. The history of saunas shows that innovation has always been about adapting heat and design to suit human comfort and efficiency. The point is that the modern sauna is functionally still a work in progress. As engineers adopt more ways to be energy efficient, saunas will continue to grow in toe. Conclusion: The Enduring Legacy of Sauna Culture Throughout history, saunas have evolved alongside human culture, adapting to new lifestyles and technologies while preserving their timeless appeal as a space for restoration and connection. And as the world’s cultures continue to share and spread ideas, so does the strength of the modern sauna. The history of saunas and their functionality you experience today owes its form and strength to the Finish just as well as Africans, Aboriginals, Turks, and countless Indigenous nations. To enjoy a sauna today is to enjoy the culmination of history and to bathe alongside thousands of years-worth of sauna goers. While saunas are already the joining center for so many communities, it is beautiful to know they are also the joining of so many cultures and peoples. Frequently Asked Questions Where did saunas originate, and what is the oldest known form? Saunas are believed to have originated in ancient Africa, where early civilizations used heat and steam for cleansing and healing. Archaeological evidence also points to similar early sweat practices in Asia and Northern Europe. When were saunas invented, and what evidence supports this timeline? The earliest forms of saunas date back over 10,000 years. Archaeological findings suggest early humans built primitive steam chambers—simple pits heated with fire and stones—to harness the benefits of heat and sweat. How did saunas originate in Finland, and what are the key Finnish sauna traditions? Saunas became central to Finnish life around 7,000 B.C.E. Early versions were smoke saunas heated by wood fires without chimneys. Today, the Finnish sauna remains a social and wellness tradition focused on relaxation, cleansing, and community. Finnish sauna traditions emphasize the balance between heat and cold, the ritual of throwing water on hot stones to create steam, and the importance of shared moments of calm and reflection. What is the history of steam baths, and how does the Turkish Hammam fit into this? The history of steam baths dates back to ancient civilizations that used heated water and vapor for cleansing and healing. The Turkish Hammam, inspired by Roman and Byzantine bathhouses, carried this tradition forward, becoming a social and spiritual ritual centered on purification through heat, steam, and water. How did the history of saunas influence cultural practices like the Greek and Roman Bathhouses? Greek and Roman bathhouses drew inspiration from early heat bathing traditions, transforming them into elaborate public spaces that combined hygiene, relaxation, and social interaction. The history of saunas highlights how these ancient practices influenced the evolution of communal bathing and wellness rituals across civilizations. What is the significance of ancient Sweat Lodges in the global origins of saunas? Sweat Lodges, used by Indigenous peoples in North America, share the same principles as saunas, using steam and heat for purification, healing, and spiritual connection, highlighting the global roots of sweat-based rituals. The origins of saunas can be traced to these early sweat practices, which demonstrate humanity’s shared appreciation for heat as a tool for cleansing and renewal. What was the origin of the modern infrared sauna, and what is its infrared sauna history? The concept of infrared saunas began in the late 19th century with Dr. John Harvey Kellogg’s “electric light bath.” Infrared technology was later refined and introduced for therapeutic use in the 20th century, becoming widely available by the 1970s. How have Electric Saunas changed the evolution of saunas from wood-burning stoves? Introduced in 1893, electric saunas replaced wood-burning stoves, offering cleaner, faster, and more controllable heating. This innovation made sauna bathing more convenient and accessible worldwide. What distinguishes the Korean Jjimjilbang from traditional Finnish and Turkish saunas? Korean Jjimjilbangs are large public bathhouses featuring multiple heated rooms with varying temperatures, mineral themes, and family-friendly amenities—focusing on social relaxation rather than just heat therapy. What are some of the most enduring ancient sauna rituals and traditions that survive today? Modern sauna culture still embraces ancient rituals such as alternating heat and cold exposure, using natural materials like stones and wood, and gathering socially for relaxation and renewal.