Archaeologists in Jerusalem discovered a luxurious item, flushed down the drain of time and dating back to 2,700 years.
Two archaeology groups, the Israel Antiquities Authority and City of David, announced Tuesday they discovered a toilet in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of the city. Private toilets were only available to the wealthy, and while it is unclear who owned the toilet, it is possible the owner was a rabbi, according to the Jerusalem Post.
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“At the time, a private toilet in a house was extremely rare,” said Yaakov Billig, the director of the excavation. “Most people were just forced to find someplace private to relieve themselves. Around 1,000 years later, a group of rabbis in the Talmud discuss who is to be considered rich. Different rabbis suggest different answers, and one of them, Rabbi Yossi, says, ‘One who has a toilet next to his table.'”
The archaeologists also found a tank underneath the toilet, containing pottery remains, animal bones, and soils. Billig said toilet pits were also used as garbage cans at the time and that the bowls were potentially disposable dishes or aromatic oil containers to improve the toilet’s smell. The archaeologists also said they will study the bones and soil to learn more about dietary habits and diseases among ancient Judeans.
Details on the toilet’s discovery will be illustrated during the IAA’s conference, titled “Innovations in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Surroundings.” The conference is scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Thursday in Jerusalem and will also be broadcast online.
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IAA and the City of David both work to discover remnants of the ancient past, with IAA in charge of Israel’s antiquities and antiquity sites.
IAA aims to increase public awareness and interest in the country’s archaeological heritage.
