Ancient bath - time - why the sheets?

[Mosaic]

Many images of people having baths in old times show them with a sheet of some kind inside the bath - like this one:

http://en.wikipedia.o...ki/The_Death_of_Marat

So why have a sheet inside the bath? Wouldn't it sort of drip bathwater all over the floor?

[Mosaic]

Agreed, heathfield and boxtops - but it doesn't explain why in other images, eg from the middle ages, people are shown in baths with a sheet underneath them.
It's got me vexed!

[askyourgran]

I do recall that a neighbour ours had a plain zinc bath not enamelled as ours was, the bottom of the metal bath was incredibly hot when filled with hot water she used to sit on a small towel. On the other hand having covering sheets around the body I imagined it was for modesty's sake. The Victorians particularly used to cover table legs up for modesty.

[tiggerblue10]

I think its for modesty as well. The ancient Greeks and Romans did the same when using communal baths and the practice just carried on.