The pedestal tub starts private bathing

Are you looking for something more traditional than today's oval whirlpool tubs? The earliest historical images most people conjure up when they think of bathing are the notorious Roman baths. Their tubs were fashioned from marble, while the systems of pipes that carried away the wastewater were made of lead or bronze.

Pedestal tubs may well be the oldest known personal bathing units, and also the oldest known free standing bath tub. According to archeological evidence, this type of tub can be found in the archeological record dating back to 1000 B.C. on the Isle of Crete. The style, which some consider an "art deco" design, consists of a personal-sized bathing bowl that rests atop a fitted pedestal. Tubs of this sort found in Crete measured about 5 feet long and was built from hardened pottery.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, regular bathing and the focus on personal hygiene became somewhat of a lost art, providing fertile ground for the rise of communicable diseases such as the Bubonic Plague that wiped out half of the European population.

We can safely say the Cretes, while they may have invented the comfortable pedestal tub, never had the options and accessories to go with them that we now have today. Modern bathers can rest in quiet repose in a roomy double-ended model or a vintage classic unit to fit any sized room.

These days, bathroom fixtures can be configured with just about any combination of features and accessories imaginable. Bathing Barn can customize your free standing bath tub with hardware that reflects your personal taste in decor, and help you identify a bath that addresses your size and budget requirements. For other style, see our Maax tubs.