Baths have expressed different values and served different purposes throughout history.
In ancient times they were noble, sacred objects used in daily rituals to promote the bather’s overall well-being. In the 1900s they were utilitarian objects used solely for hygienic purposes. Starting in the 1950s, these two ideas slowly merged to produce the modern bath — an object that is useful and beautiful and has therapeutic benefits. The emphasis in today’s society on healthy eating, healthy living, and physical activity ties in with the notion of the body as a temple to be preserved. This trend has made bathtub and bathroom sacred once again, dedicated as they are to physical relaxation and regeneration.