Antonin public baths, Carthage, Tunisia © UNESCO - D. Roger

Public baths have been around since at least 2500 BC in Ancient Greece, but it was the Romans who took the idea and expanded it. Looking at baths from previous cultures, they added various areas for sports and exercise and created huge monuments with a form of central heating that had never before been seen. By 33 BC there were 170 baths, public and private, in Rome alone. The daily bath became a social occasion, and by the end of the 4th century AD, there were 11 public baths and 926 private baths in Rome. The bath of Diocletian, built in 305 AD, could accommodate over 3,000 bathers at one time.

Still, public baths were not limited to the Roman Empire; the Turkish bath, or hamam, is a direct descendant of the Roman public baths. It spread throughout the Middle East between the 10th and 13th centuries. At the time, every castle, city and village had its own Turkish bath. In cities, the bath was of modest design, but in large estates the interiors were richly decorated. Practicing Muslims carry out certain daily purification rituals, particularly before prayers, and the Turkish bath became the place of choice for ablutions.

Today, the idea of public baths is somewhat less popular, although certain forms still exist: saunas and spas at gyms, for example, or other exercise areas. Natural hot springs in countries such as Iceland and Finland also fill the same role as public baths have done throughout history. Many millions of people visit the thermal springs to relax in the hot water. Saunas are a huge phenomenon in Finland: there are 1.4 million saunas for 5 million inhabitants. Imported from Central Asia some 2,000 years ago, saunas are still an important element in day-to-day life in Asia. In Korea for instance, families visit the public baths or saunas several times a week. They are viewed as places for social dialogue.

Public baths and saunas are therefore important in bringing the social existence of many cultures. They are places where people from all walks of life can gather. Today, a form of public bath is the public swimming pool; this is where people gather to relax, swim, exercise and learn to swim.

In Africa, however, water affects the social lives of people in an entirely different way. Rivers, lakes and wells are the meeting places of women and children, who gather there to perform the day's chores - from washing clothes and dishes to bathing. Because it is generally women and children who are responsible for taking care of the household and agricultural affairs, they frequent the closest water holes the most. This is the case both for rural and urban dwellers. Stories are told near the water; family, friend and community news is shared there; children are taught about hygiene and chores. Water is an important aspect of people's social life.