A hammam is a steam bath (the Arabic word 'hammam' means 'hot water'), a feature of north African societies since Roman times and refined centuries later by the Ottomans into the Turkish bath we know today. The origins of the Moroccan hammam can be traced back to the migration of Arabs to Morocco in the early 7th century. The aim, of course, is to wash away dust and grime but also, as importantly, to achieve a state of pure relaxation, especially when the session is followed by a soothing massage. A traditional hammam consists, typically, of two to four connected steam rooms, the temperature increasing to around 50°c as one proceeds from one to the next. As a rule, the hammam session is in two parts:
1) First comes the steam bath. After this hot session to absorb the full beneficial effect of the steam comes a hot water wash down followed, after a further interval, by an invigorating dousing of cold water poured from a wooden bucket!
2) After the bathing comes the gommage when the still damp body is subjected to a vigorous scrub down using black beldi soap, made from olives and eucalyptus leaves. Some five minutes after application the soap is then vigorously frothed and scraped off the body, together with layers of dead skin cells, with the help of a 'kessa', a special exfoliating glove made of a crinkled, coarse fabric.
3) A hammam session is ideally followed by a gentle, soothing massage employing carefully selected, locally sourced plant oils. Massage sessions, each chosen from a wide range of treatment options, are not included in the cost of a hammam.
Social etiquette in a Traditional Spa in Marrakech
Wasting Water – not surprisingly, in a country in which water is even more valuable than it is in more northerly climes, excessive use of water is generally frowned upon. Usually, an attendant will administer hot and cold dousings from a bucket but, if not, make sure to use only sufficient quantities of water to wash and then rinse yourself.
What to wear – stripping naked in a traditional hammam is generally considered offensive in both women’s and men’s hammams. As a rule of thumb, we would advise retaining your underwear but, if so, remember to take a dry pair for changing into after your session.
Socialising: although primarily a place in which to perform one’s ablutions, the traditional hammam is also important as a social gathering place. This is particularly the case for older women in rural communities, most of whom are more likely to be confined to their homes than their menfolk; for them the hammam is considered the ideal place in which to meet neighbours for a good chat. Similarly, men enjoy relaxation, banter and a good wash after a hard day’s work in the field or dusty town.
Tourists in public hammams are welcome and will invariably receive plenty of attention. Go with the flow, enjoy your ‘special status’. A session in a public hammam in Marrakech is a great experience – make the most of it.
Too Much of a Good Thing?
The Benefits Rich in vitamin E and featuring both anti-microbial and moisturising properties, black beldi soap serves to deep-cleanse the skin, removing toxins from the body and softening the skin in preparation for the exfoliating scrub with the kessa. Combining the cleansing and moisturising effect of the soap with the increase in blood circulation of the exfoliation process, the gommage helps in treating problem/oily skin leaving it feeling soft and invigorated, the better to absorb subsequent skin care treatments.
Hammam Treatments Housed usually in marble-clad rooms, a hammam bath involves dousings of alternating hot and cold water followed by a vigorous scrubdown with black 'beldi' soap. Other treatments include 'ghassoul' or henna coatings, 'ghassoul' hair treatments and, after a short recovery period, relaxing massages using essential oils, although these are not part of the classic hammam procedure and are charged separately. In addition to being wonderfully relaxing and an effective relief from stress, hammam sessions provide a number of physical benefits, not least improved blood circulation.
Marrakech, like most places in the Arab world, is renowned for its traditional hammams and no visit to the city is entirely complete until one has experienced their time-honoured benefits. That said, should you have the feeling that the more vigorous scrubdowns administered in a public hammam may not be for you then you can always opt for a visit to a private, modern version of the traditional steam bath such as the one in our own marble-clad spa, L’Arganier, where the hammam experience is less about the vigorous, physical aspects of a good scrubdown and more about what one might call a little bit of gentle pampering!