THE SCENE: The passage below demonstrates the extreme interest which the 10th century Persian explorer Ibn Rusta had regarding a bizarre Russian custom that today might simply be known as a sauna.
THE TEXT: The extreme cold which afflicts the country is so harsh that the inhabitants are forced to construct underground dwellings, roofed with wood like a church and completely covered with earth. The head of the family builds one of these for his family and relatives. They bring firewood and stones, light the wood until the stones turn red hot and then throw water on them. The steam released warms the room and the inhabitants take off their clothes and live in this shelter till spring.
– Ibn Rusta, 10th Century AD
