TEMAZCAL
FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE SPANISH IN 1519 THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF MESOAMERICA DEVELOPED A HIGHLY ADVANCED CIVILIZATION. HERBAL MEDICINE AND NATURAL HEALTH PRACTICES WERE ESPECIALLY PREVALENT IN OAXACA WHERE ONE VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE WAS THE CLEANLINESS AND HYGIENE OF THE PEOPLE. THE HERBAL STEAM BATH WAS A VITAL PART OF THE TRADITIONAL LIFE AND WAS USED BY WOMEN BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CHILDBIRTH, IN THE TREATMENT OF MANY ILLS OF THE POPULATION AND FOR GENERAL CLEANLINESS AND WELLBEING. RELIGIOUS RITUALS WERE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THE BATHS. THE TRADITIONAL HERBAL STEAM BATH IS CALLED TEMAZCAL AND ITS GODDESS PATRON IS TEMAZCALTOCI IN NAHUATL, THE COMMON LANGUAGE USED IN COMMERCE THROUGHOUT MESOAMERICA.
THE GLYPH ABOVE IS FROM THE ZOUCHE-NUTTALL CODEX OF MIXTEC WRITINGS FROM PRE-HISPANIC OAXACA AND DEPICTS, IN THE UPPER CENTER, A TRADITIONAL TEMAZCAL WITH ITS SUPPLY OF FIREWOOD, FLAMES AND SMOKE TO SHOW THAT IT IS IN USE. IT IS PART OF THE STORY OF 3 PEDERNAL, AN IMPORTANT PERSONAGE IN TEOZACUALCO-ZAACHILA WHO IS ABOUT TO GIVE BIRTH IN THE TEMAZCAL. THE TWO PRIESTS SEATED ON THEIR HILLS (10 WIND AND 9 MOTION) ARE ASSURING THAT ALL IS IN ORDER FOR THIS IMPORTANT EVENT, THAT THE FIRE IS LIT AND THAT THE OFFERINGS FOR THE PATRON OF THE BATH ARE CORRECTLY PRESENTED. THE THREE FIGURES IN THE CENTER OF THE GLYPH BELOW THE TEMAZCAL ARE BRINGING THE OFFERINGS OF, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, OCOTE FOR THE FIRE, A BUNDLE OF TWIGS DEDICATED TO XIPE TOTEC, AND A BUNDLE OF HERBS TIED WITH PAPER.
THE TEMAZCAL IS STILL USED IN OAXACA AND IN RECENT YEARS HAS BECOME EXTREMELY POPULAR, MUCH AS THE FINNISH SAUNA HAS IN OTHER AREAS. AT LA CASA DE MARIA BED & BREAKFAST WE OFFER A TRADITIONAL TEMAZCAL COMPLETE WITH HERBAL THERAPY, MASSAGE AND NATURAL CREAMS AND TEAS FOR A RELAXING HEALTHFUL EXPERIENCE. FOR MORE INFORMATION
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