Photo compliments from Polina Kovaleva
Each time you hold a piece of soap in your hands, you may just be holding an artifact developed from a technique of production dating as far back in history as 2800BC.
The History of Soap Making traces back to ancient Babylonians in 2800 BC whereby Archeologists have found soap-like material in historic clay cylinders. Markings on the clay crudely translated to “Fat Boiled with Ashes”. These primitive production methods went through a process of evolution, survived the rise and fall of Egypt, Greek and the Roman Empire, and were refined through the rigorous demands of the people who pride themselves with hygienic fresh smells as they strode out of the bathhouses. Ash, of course, was slowly substituted with vegetable oil, essential oils and many more additives.
It would be interesting to note that the word ‘Soap’ actually originated from a Roman folklore about Mount Sapo. Rain would wash down the mountain mixing with animal fat and ashes, resulting in a clay mixture that was found to make cleaning easier.
After the fall of Rome, the use of soap declined during the Middle Ages. Disease and illness crept back from the hollows of the earth, devastating population with events such as the “Black Death” during the 14th Century. These were largely a result of the lack of proper hygiene during the Middle Ages.
Soap was also used as early as the 'Shang' (商) Dynasty in 1600 BC and was widely adopted in Japan and other parts of Asia during the 6th Century. Soap played an important role in maintaining hygiene and continuing social interaction between people from different walks of life.
Moving forward into the 19th Century, soap was deemed as a luxury item for the well-to-do and was heavily taxed. It was only until the taxes were removed, then soap became readily available to the public masses.
And did you know that the process of soap making was re-engineered during WWI and WWII due to the lack of animal and vegetable fats and oil? Chemists had to use other raw materials instead, which were “synthesized” into chemicals with similar properties. Given the chemical mix, these liquid had been renamed “detergent”. Hence what you find in bottles today are actually synthesized detergent instead of soap. It was later renamed to liquid hand soap as it would be confusing to call it hand detergent. Interesting what marketing can do to a buyer’s mentality huh?
Cheers!