Oct 13, 2021 06:00:00

A 'luxury toilet' excavated 2700 years ago, is it a royal toilet?

An archaeological excavation of ancient ruins in Jerusalem unearthed a 'toilet' that is believed to be about 2700 years old. In addition to the limestone-drilled toilet seat, this toilet is equipped with a filth tank and 30 to 40 containers that may have contained fragrances, and is estimated to have been used by the royal family.

Biblical-era toilet with possible air fresheners found in Jerusalem --Archaeology --Haaretz.com

https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/toilet-with-possible-air-fresheners-found-in-first-temple-period-jerusalem-1.10267998

A rare 2,700-year-old luxury toilet found in Jerusalem | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/ancient-toilet-discovered-royal-mansion-jerusalem

2,700-year-old toilet found in Jerusalem was a rare luxury
https://apnews.com/article/science-jerusalem-middle-east-israel-555ddebe8076d1c7c99c384dae08fc78

On October 6, 2021, a team of archaeologists from the Israeli Archaeological Agency announced that they had 'discovered a room that appeared to be a toilet.' Below is a movie by Yaakov Billig, a team of archaeologists, explaining this discovery.

Ancient 2700 Year Old Toilet Discovered in Jerusalem --YouTube


The excavation was conducted this time in an area called Armon Hanatziv, where the residence of the British Secretary was said to have existed during the British Occupation. The survey was supported by the Israeli Tourism Board and several municipalities.

The excavation site is on

a hill overlooking the hill of the temple known for the Wailing Wall , and the ruins excavated this time may have been one of the palaces used by the royal family during the Kingdom of Judah about 2700 years ago. There is.

Some of the excavated palaces are below. It is a part that is thought to have been a decoration for a

baluster or a pillar.

The image that shows how this part was used is like this.

Among the series of excavations, the archaeological team described the 'toilet' as particularly rare. The limestone toilet seats actually excavated are as follows.

This toilet has a floor area of about 1.5 meters x 2 meters, has a deep filth layer in the lower part, and 30 to 40 containers that are thought to have contained fragrance have been excavated from around the toilet seat. Traces of ornamental trees, fruit trees, and aquatic plants have also been found near the toilet.

It is believed that the research team made this toilet particularly rare during the time of the Kingdom of Judah, where the palace was believed to have existed, as a private toilet was a luxury item that only a very limited number of wealthy people could have. Because there is. There are only a few examples of the excavation of private toilets of the same type in the past, and it is said to be the most famous priest in the Mishnah in the Jewish scripture 'Mishnah' 1000 years after the Kingdom of Judah. For a long time, private toilets were considered a symbol of luxury, as there was a sentence that Yoshi suggested that 'the definition of a rich man is to have a toilet next to his desk.'

A large amount of pottery and animal bones were found in the filth layer excavated this time, and it was recovered together with the soil inside. These collections are expected to shed new light on lifestyles, diets and illnesses of the time.

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