Exploring the Ancient Connection: A Hidden Chapter on Diets and Illnesses through Historical Toilets
In the heart of ancient Rome, over 2,000 years ago, a humble yet significant public space resided. The communal toilet, situated below one of the city's grandest palaces, served as a bustling and sometimes odorous area, housing a series of perforated benches. Modern researchers have shed light on these neglected areas of history, revealing insights into the diets, diseases, and habits of the Romans.
Archaeologists Ann Koloski-Ostrow and Gemma Jansen, in a collaboration in 2014, investigated the well-preserved Roman loo located on the Palatine Hill. Their examination unveiled several intriguing details, such as a comfortable seating height, intimate spacing between seats, and the substantial drop leading to the sewer below. Mysteries remained with regard to the possible water source that may have flushed the sewers, and the graffiti outside hinted at long lines of patrons waiting for their turn.
Ancient historians often shied away from discussing toilets, like Italian excavator Giacomo Boni who, in 1913, presumably mistook the remains for a mysterious, intricate mechanism powering the palace above. However, centuries later, the topic of toilets is no longer shunned. In fact, researchers such as Koloski-Ostrow, based at Brandeis University, and Jansen, an independent archaeologist in the Netherlands, are part of a growing group exploring the "lost loos" of history.
These investigations uncover valuable information about the dietary habits, diseases, and daily life of lower-class inhabitants, mainly ignored by archaeologists. The findings suggest that the Romans approached public toilet visits with a mixture of superstition and genuine fear, due to concerns over the lurking rats and disease-carrying organisms in the sewers, as well as the fact that ancient Rome's advanced plumbing systems didn't significantly improve health conditions.
These archaeological discoveries, while not always glamorous, offer essential insights into understanding the nuances of Roman life and society. Koloski-Ostrow, often referred to as "the queen of latrines" on her campus, took up the challenge more than two decades ago and has been a pioneer in the field ever since.
The first crude toilets date back to Mesopotamia in the late fourth millennium BCE, taking the form of deep pits lined with hollow ceramic cylinders. However, scholars exhibited little interest in these early toilets. Modern studies show that while the technology was efficient in separating people from their waste, it was uncommon and limited in reach, as most individuals relied on employing chamber pots or using the outdoors.
In the Mediterranean, the Minoans leading the island of Crete improved upon the concept by integrating a flushing mechanism limited to the elite. Later, archaic Greeks, specifically during the Hellenistic period, built massive public latrines and installed private facilities in homes as society become more prosperous and concerned with comfort.
Roman public latrines became standard infrastructure in the city, similar to public bathhouses, but little is known about their specific functioning andomonthly interactions. non however, private latrines often found near kitchens in residences were more common but not linked to sewage systems, instead being emptied periodically.
Modern researchers find numerous deficiencies in Roman toilets, including the lack of pit traps and the poor state of the sewers, which if unattended would easily clog. Additionally, the absence of barriers between seats shows a level of privacy unmatched by contemporary standards.
Contemporary studies of well-preserved waste collected in a closed sewer in an apartment complex in Herculaneum reveal the presence of fragile mineralized fly pupae. Further research into the benefits of ancient sanitation systems suggests that while the Romans had advances that separated people from waste, the overall health of the population may not have improved significantly.
The study of ancient latrines helps archaeologists better understand lower-class lives, as recent research shows a more diverse Roman diet than previously believed. The examination of waste uncovered the consumption of various foods like figs, eggs, olives, grapes, and shellfish, offering evidence of a healthier diet than initially assumed.
By examining the waste of these ancient latrines, researchers can glean invaluable insights into the broader food and energy economies, including food production, international trade, and cooking practices. By studying the detritus found in these neglected spaces, researchers offer essential contributions to Roman studies on the non-elite masses.
These ancient latrines also expose hints at the cultural belief system of the Romans, with superstitions about demons lurking in the toilets, rodents in the sewers, and explosive gases. Similarly, the presence of miniature shrines to Fortuna, the goddess of luck, hints at the belief that she protected bodies from illness and bad luck.
While the study of Roman latrines has become less taboo, progress has been slow due to a lack of funding and scholarly interest. Despite the challenges, researchers remain committed to learning more about the lower classes in Roman society, their diets, diseases, and daily lives. This endeavor speaks volumes to the broader efforts in Roman archaeology to understand the other 99% of society that remains largely overshadowed by the study of monumental structures and the elite few.
Scientists are exploring the diets and health-and-wellness practices of the Romans through the examination of ancient latrines, revealing a more diverse diet than previously believed, which includes foods like figs, eggs, olives, grapes, and shellfish (nutrition). Furthermore, these investigations into 'lost loos' of history offer insights into the daily lives and cultural belief systems of the lower classes, shedding light on superstitions about demons and the presence of miniature shrines to Fortuna (science, health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise).
