Sweat lodges and saunas are not exactly associated with Dutch culture. Still, a while ago a remarkable find was done in the town of Nijmegen, one of the oldest towns of the Netherlands. In an area of what was once an open spot in an oak grove 3,600 years ago, traces of two cabins and several baths were found. Some of the traces were found under a layer of charcoal, burnt clay and stones. Until then, finds like there were only known on the British isles.

In the center of one of the huts, a pile of burnt stones was found. Based on this detail, this cabin is interpreted as a sweat lodge. This is unique in the area of the Netherlands, but is known in Celtic and Scythic culture. The water used was drained through a ditch that led to the gully next to the building. The stones used had to come from several kilometers, as there were no stones in this particular area. This is why mostly clay, which was readily available, was used; several hundreds lumps of clay were found.

Next to the sweat lodge a cold water bath was found. People taking a bath there could be doused with fresh water from a small pit nearby.

The function of the other building is not clear. The broad doorstep was paved with heated lumps of clay on a ground that was burned red. One theory tells that this might have been part of a ritual during which people had to walk or jump over this doorstep, maybe also through steam. Finds in the gully that are interpreted as offerings (a millstone and a little bronze dagger) also point towards the site having a sacred character.

Compared to other settlements of this time, very few finds were done (some of the finds were animal remains, earthenware pieces, and flint). From this researchers conclude that people only came here incidentally. It is not known who visited this site. Was this ‘sauna’ reserved for families who lived nearby? Or was it a sacred site that was also visited by people from further away?

Sources:

Broeke, Peter van den, “Zweten in de brondstijd”, in Armkeutz, Luc and Sasja van der Vaart-Verschoof (Ed.) Bronstijd, vuur van verandering. Leiden: Sidestone Press. P. 79-80.

3.600 oude sauna gevonden in Nijmegen, 28 September 2025 on archeologieonline.nl, as seen on 14 June 2025.