Why Study the History of Massage?

Most of those doing massage and other touch therapies around the world today know little if anything about the history of the work they do. Massage schools seldom offer more than a few hours of historical background to educate those entering the field. Perhaps this is because those teaching received the same scant education about the subject. Just like many other healing arts, massage has a long and informative history, but it has been mostly forgotten and is rarely discussed. There is too little knowledge and a lot of misinformation about the past of this important and incredible field.

The history of massage is intertwined with human evolution and human history. Since prehistoric time, touch has been an integral part of the primate social system, initially as an element of grooming behaviors. During the long transition from primate grooming behaviors to human contact systems, touch took on other characteristics. As human beings evolved to develop organized civilizations, touch was transformed into a variety of archaic healing ways, eventually into intentional healing methods.

Manual treatment as a remedy for disease is believed to be as old as humankind. The most common proof offered as evidence for this claim is a very simple one—humans instinctively respond to pain by touching where it hurts. In all ages and all places, in all cultures, human beings reach for the spot that hurts and rub it, usually making it feel better. This reflexive response to pain serves as a validation that massage is as old as humanity.

Since the time when human beings inherited socially laden grooming behaviors from their primate ancestors and evolved them into more complex and structured manual arts, massage has always been part of a larger picture. It has been an integral part of various aspects of human life, including religious and healing rituals; healing arts such as midwifery, medicine and hydrotherapy; exercise and movement; and the pleasurable pursuits of sensuality.

Massage was not advocated nor practiced as a singular therapeutic tool until modern times. The shaman rubbing evil spirits out of the body; the deaconess laying on her hands to inspire the healing power of the Holy Spirit; the midwife soothing a mother from the pains of childbirth; the trainer preparing for and administering after athletic pursuits; the nurse applying a healing balm in battle or the bath; the doctor treating an injury with a liniment or mechanical treatment; the woman applying healing and soothing creams to her skin for beauty and health; a couple stroking each other as part of the rituals of sexual behavior; and any person touching another simply for feeling good and getting relaxed - massage was a part of the repertoire of each of these activities before it broke free in the 19th century. It remains a complement to them all even though it is now recognized as a stand-alone therapeutic tool.

Massage has played a significant role in the history of medicine, midwifery, nursing, exercise, movement and sports. It is also evident in the advertising and use of a variety of products, from mechanical inventions to liniments and tonics, as well as in the professional practices of barbers and beauticians. We can also find evidence of massage in sculpture and painting by renowned artists such as Edgar Degas and Emil Orlik. Look at almost any ad today for a spa and you'll likely find an image of a massage in progress. Massage is the modern-day icon for relaxation. It is the penultimate comparison with any other form of relaxation, from drinking tea to wearing shoes.

The richness of its history, the longevity of its existence in human history and the use of its imagery and relaxing results have inspired countless generations. Is it a subject worth studying alongside technique, anatomy and physiology, and contraindications. Indeed, the history of massage deserves much more attention than it currently receives in order to inspire the next generation of practitioners, who will be informed to tell the story of their work accurately and proudly.

Robert Noah Calvert is the founder and CEO of Massage Magazine. The material for this column comes from the World of Massage Museum's collection and Calvert's book, The History of Massage, published in February 2002 by Healing Arts Press.