Why do Bedouins have a reputation for sluts, and is it deserved

Once upon a time, hygiene was not treated as scrupulously as it is now. However, this does not apply to all ethnic groups, but only to some. It's a shame when they slander entire nations, relying only on rumors and speculation. Traditionally, people living in deserts, for example, Bedouins, are considered enemies of purity. Yes, these people have been suffering from water scarcity for centuries, but are they really sloppy?

The statement that Bedouins live in mud has nothing to do with reality. Yes, the people of the desert have their own views on hygiene, dictated by living conditions. But if someone lives according to their own strange traditions for us, is he worse?

For the first time, the inhabitants of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula were spoken of as dirty in the Middle Ages. It was advantageous for the Crusaders to present their enemies as unwashed, poorly civilized barbarians. Having not found rivers, lakes, water pipes, baths and baths in the desert, the Europeans decided that they were dealing with people who wash only occasionally, or even deny bathing.

There were rumors that only the most noble and rich can afford washing among the Arabs. Allegedly, the bulk of the Bedouins are only occasionally wiped with a damp cloth when the opportunity arises. Those who spread such gossip had a reason for this. They themselves almost never saw the Bedouins bathe or even wash themselves. But this only meant that the people of the desert kept outsiders away from their important secrets.

In the desert, water is the main resource. There are even countries that are absolutely devoid of reservoirs. It is well known that if a person can live without food for many days, then without water — only 2-3 days. In the desert, this period becomes even shorter. The Bedouins made their wells secret. These were underground ditches, closed from above and equipped with stone condensate accumulators.

The lives of entire tribes depended on these small underground reservoirs. In the conditions of war, it was enough to destroy these wells to put the Bedouins on the brink of life and death. It is not surprising that in the presence of strangers, Arabs living in the desert avoided visits to secret reservoirs. But as soon as the guest left, access to the water was opened.

An important refutation of rumors about the slovenliness of the Bedouins is their very faith — Islam. It is difficult to say how it was before its adoption and what kind of relationship with water the pagans had. But for Muslims, five prayers a day with the obligatory washing of the face and washing of the feet is an important part of life.

Yes, when the Bedouins crossed the desert, they could not always afford to wash five times. But they replaced water with sand — their faith allowed them to do it. Now hardly anyone uses this "grandfathered" method. Modern technologies make it possible to take solid reserves of water with you and use them as efficiently as possible.