Sweathouses: A Social And Historical Perspective

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Poverty And Plenty In The North", at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

Sweathouses are small vernacular saunas which were used in the 19 th Century to alleviate the

symptoms of rheumatism and other illnesses. Their existence reflects the reliance that many people had on traditional forms of medicine up until the turn of the 20 th century, especially in poorer, rural communities, where modern medicine was not widely accessible. The 19th Century in Ireland was a time of great social upheaval – Famine, mass emigration and rural depopulation changed the demographic structure of the island, as well as the physical and cultural landscape.

This paper provides a context for sweathouses in 19 th century Ireland and explores the economic and social conditions of the people who used them.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Poverty And Plenty In The North   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2023

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Contact(s): Nicole Haddow