It’s a simple question: where does massage therapy come from? There are signs of massage therapy as early as 4,000 years ago
but it’s actually amazing to find that it is not limited to a single source. Massage can be found in pretty much all great civilizations.
Here are some examples historians and archaeologists have found through their discoveries
- China: One of the first sign has been found in an ancient Chinese book, mentioning specifically the concept of “massage of
skin and flesh”. - Babylon: The first civilization to use writings is the Babylonians. Extracts in their code of medicine mentions something very similar to massage therapy
- Egypt: Hieroglyphs in tombs, and even more detailed papyrus were found to contain references to some form of body treatment with oils and vinegar. These documents date back to more than 1,000 year before the Roman Empire
- India: Many people are familiar with the Ayurdeva, a traditional massage therapy from the Indian subcontinent. But many do not realize how old it is. Documents date back this practice to as early as 1500 BC, more than 3,000 years ago.
- Romans: It is common knowledge that Romans were big fans of saunas and baths and they spread this new form of therapy
through the world - Thailand: Long used by Buddhist monks, Thai massage are thought to be as old as the Buddha himself. Documents dating back to this period clearly states massage should be used to create harmony and balance.
- Greece: The great founder of modern medicine, Hippocrates, regularly advised his students and colleagues to use massage
techniques, or “rubbing” as part of their learning and experience. - Native Americans: Hot stones placed on the body were used to cure specific ailments.
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