The Indus Civilization c5.42

c5.42

In some cases the brick floors of the bathrooms had been polished by the friction of bare feet, while in others they show a deep red deposit, which may have been caused by perspiration or by the use of oil to prevent the skin from cracking—a custom prevalent in India at the present day. Some bathrooms contained the remains of water-jars, and, to judge from the number of pottery models that have been found in the drains, it would seem that the childish habit of taking playthings into the bath has persisted for thousands of years. Certain clay objects found from time to time are thought to be strigils with which the people of Mohenjo-daro used to rub themselves down; it is certain that they used pottery rasps to remove thickened cuticle.