Origins

• The Finns--inhabitants of Finland--came up with the sauna. It is not clear when exactly, but there is evidence that they were using saunas thousands of years before European awareness of their practice in the Middle Ages.
  
  

Earliest Saunas

• The oldest known saunas were usually pits made in the earth. People mainly used them during harsh winters to stave off the cold.
  
  

Middle Ages Discovery

• It was not until the 16th century that Europe, experiencing a growing popularity of sweat shops, was aware of the Finns' use of them, not to mention have an official term for such places. Such a late discovery was because of Finland's relative isolation from the rest of the continent.
  
  

Sophistication

• The Finns, rather than sticking with one kind of sweat bath, developed different kinds. A good example is the smoke sauna, which involved relying on a rock stove to not only produce heat, but also smoke to give the room a certain aroma.
  
  

Today

• Saunas are now generally indoor baths and can be found worldwide, famous as a social place for participants. Also, the word "sauna" has become synonymous with an unusually hot environment.