The history of massage is known from the ancient times. It has all rights to be called as art, and was practicing for treatment through touching and massaging.
The route of the word can be find in many ancient languages, such as Greek language – “masso”, that means “to clasp with hands”, Arabian language – “mass” – which means “to press tender", Latin word “massa” – “stick to fingers”.
Oriental scientists discovered useful features of massage more than 2,5 thousands years ago. The art of massaging was well-known all over the ancient world from Greece to India and China. Many artefacts, ancient letters and writings, vases, mosaics can tell us the history of development of massage healing. One of the famous historical artefacts is a alabaster bas-relief from Assyria (modern territory of Syria and Iraq) showing the doctor, who is massaging his patient. This monument now is in museum of Berlin. In ancient Egypt there was spread a coupled-style massage, when two masseurs were massaging together a man. One of this facts is mentioned in papyrus writings of one Egyptian commander, kept in his grave. Papyrus is representing the scene of two doctors massaging their patients in same time.
A great contribution in art of massaging was invested by ancient China. Their methods were including massages with oil, liquids from plants and grasses, acupuncture. And it was making the real miracles. With the help of massage were treated many diseases and it was used also as relaxation method. All over the whole country there were various gymnastics and healing schools that were practicing massage. In the 4th century the first medical institute is founded in China where the science of massage was obligatory discipline.
Along with China ancient India also reached enormous success in the sphere of massage. It was not just a medical treatment, it was a part of religion. Servers of the temples in India – Bramins – knew many kinds of massage and included it in religious ceremonies. The books like “Ayurveda”(1600 A. D.) – “the knowledge of life” and “Surkuta” contains descriptions of numerous kinds of body massing and provide influence on different parts of it. After the country was occupied by arabs massage got it’s classical view. Ancient arabs grabbed Indian knowledge of massing and combined it with their own concepts, which helped to create new elements.
Despite the fact that knowledge of massage was spread all over the ancient world the first scientific medical books were created in antique Greece. Leading doctor of that time Gerodicos, who was living in 460-337 A. D., proved a physical usefulness of massage and his student Hyppocratus continued the beginning of his master, contributed a fundamental knowledge of this field through experience and examinations. Owing to his study massage became a proven way of treatment and stable ability of living activity. Massage was mentioned in great poems of Homer where charming nymphs were pleasing heroes of war with the help of massing their bodies with oil. Almost all the spheres of life in ancient Greece included massage like as relaxation, as a treatment. It was inserted in army, schools, sports.
Active development of massage comes after Roman conquering the most part of the world from Britain to Egypt. They combined all existing information about it, systematically built and implemented new methods and theories. Asklepiadus, the Roman doctor, who lived in 157-128 A. D., divided the art of massaging into separate kinds, such as dry and wet (with using the oil), long-term and short-term, strong and light. He also created vibrant method of massage. Another famous doctor of that time Cornelius Celsus dedicated to massage many chapters in his book “About medicine”. Claudius Gallen, the first doctor in the school of gladiators, wrote and detailed nine kind of massaging. Also he developed methods of self-massing and put stress on periods of it – morning and evening.
After Roman empire was collapsed the role of massage fade away slowly, because of Christian religion. It took care of soul first of all, not body. But in the Middle Asia in the end of 5th century people were free of prejudices. There appeared a lot of scientists, and cultural and medical development increased. Avicena, whose real name was Ibn Sina erected the first hospital in Bagdad and chose massage as a main method of treatment. But in compare with Greek and Roman traditions massaging in Asia was more stronger with hard impress, with the help of elbows and even feet.
Only close to 19th century the meaning of massage grew up again. Thanks to Henry Lyng the Swedish system of massage was created. His enthusiasm of massaging happened occasionally. Once he got a cruel shoulder wound. But with the help of gymnastics and massage after one year the wound disappeared and hand became as strong and nimble as it was before. All his experience and way of massaging are collected in his creation “Gymnastic basis”, where he left a main part for massage.
The condition of massage appeared in Russia is it’s severe circumstances and hard work. And massage was considered as a method of relaxation. It is also connected with Russian sauna with birth whisk. In the condition of hot and humidity the whipping with whisk is a kind of massage, it is a kind of rubbing. And effect is great because of the hot steam.
Our company embraces different methods and ways of massage based on history of development and transformation of this kind of treatment art. We provide qualified massage of the whole body, massage of back and facial massage. You can easily entrust your body into our hands undoubtedly!