Architectural development
The ḥammām , or Middle Eastern public bath, is predominantly an urban phenomenon. In rural areas, public baths are smaller and less elaborate buildings and not every village has one. The ḥammām evolved from Roman baths. Like these, it consists of at least four rooms: al-maslakh, the entrance and changing room; the bārid, the usually unheated first bathing room; the wastānī, a moderately heated seco…