2700-Yr-Old Private Toilet Carved Out of Limestone With Seat Found in Jerusalem; ‘A Very Rare Find... Only Rich People Had.'
A rare, 2,700-year-old private toilet carved out of limestone was unearthed in the ruins of an ancient royal estate that looked out over the Old City of Jerusalem, the Israel Antiquities Authority stated in a YouTube video. The rare find, from the First Temple period, the seventh century B.C.E., seems to highlight the lavish lifestyle among the wealthy during those times.
"This is a very rare find because this is something that only the rich people had," stated Yaakov Billig, archaeologist and director of the excavation, stated Live Science. The toilet was found at the Armon Hanatziv promenade during the archaeological excavation that exposed an elaborately designed palace complex. Great attention to detail and care were placed upon this bathroom cubicle, measuring roughly around 1.5 by 2 meters in size. It had a comfortable seat, an inch-thick layer of limestone laid over a deep septic tank carved into solid bedrock, and what sets this find impressive would have to be the assortment of bowls discovered within: 30-40, to be almost exact, stated BBC.
Billig speculates that these vessels might have served as some sort of ancient air freshener, filled with aromatic oils or incense to make the facility more agreeable to use. The toilet was part of the structure of a very fine palace, with complex column capitals featuring the motif of the Judahite monarchy. The quality of the natural limestone was better than the softer, chalkier rock in most parts of Armon Hanatziv and reflects the huge resources invested in constructing the building.
The septic tank under the toilet was a treasure trove of archaeological material: pieces of pottery and animal bones. These remains can thus yield a lot of information about the dietary habits and diseases the elite class of the period suffered from. Such a facility would have to be cleaned out regularly by servants or slaves, as the septic tank did not have any natural drainage mechanism. The importance of having a private toilet is also reflected in literature. Even in the Mishnah and Talmud of more than a thousand years later, having "the toilet next to his table" was a part of the characteristics defining a wealthy person, according to Rabbi Yossi, claims Billig, according to The Times of Israel.
The team of archaeologists also revealed that around the toilet facility was a garden of luxury replete with fruit trees, ornamental trees, and aquatic plants. This garden may have furnished some of the raw materials for the theoretical air fresheners in the bowls next to the toilet. Other toilets have been discovered elsewhere, including the famous "Ahiel's House" in Jerusalem's City of David and one at the gate of Lachish, according to Haaretz. However, the Lachish find sparked debate among scholars because it was discovered in a shrine, leading to theories that it was placed there on purpose to desecrate a pagan worship site.