The Turkish public bath, or hamam, evolved from Roman baths to become part of the Islamic ritual of purification before prayer. A hamam combines the architecture of Roman baths with the Turkish tradition of steam bathing, ritual cleansing, and respect for water. A typical hamam consists of three interconnected rooms, which are used in a precise order. The bather starts in the hot room, or s������cakl������k, which is for soaking up steam and getting scrub massages. Next, the bather washes in the warm room, or tepidarium. Finally, the bather finishes off with a rinse in the cool room, or so������ukluk. The hamam box was used to carry personal soaps and towels to and from the hamam.