Health and wellbeing in the ancient world

1.3 Finding a toilet

Have any ancient toilets been found in your country, or in a part of the world you have visited?

Modern-day toilets, looking into three cubicles.
Figure 3 Modern toilet cubicles
Modern-day toilets, looking into three cubicles.

Activity 2

  1. Use the internet to find an example of an ancient toilet – it can be a reconstruction, or an example from archaeology.

    In what context was your example found? For example, was it part of a private house, or a public building? What is its approximate date?

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  1. Are there any patterns to be detected from your image? For example, in what sort of locations were toilets built? Were these public or private? Would they have been used by women and by slaves? Why do you think so many communal toilets have been found in Roman army bases?
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