(ORDO News) — Archaeological excavations in Beth She’an (Israel) led to a discovery that amazed scientists – huge Roman public latrines with 60 wooden seats.
Excavations carried out by archaeologists revealed a huge public building, which turned out to be a Roman latrine, partially preserved to this day. According to Dr. Walid Atrash, a researcher of ancient Beth She’an and author of the new book Back to Beth She’an: Nysa-Skythopolis, each of the four public latrines that were discovered at the site contained 60 wooden seats.
“This find is amazing in its scale. We found that the latrines were built on open public land, which suggests that many people apparently used them,” Dr. Atrash said.
The Roman toilet turned out to be an unusually well-equipped structure. Inside the building you can see wall paintings and an ornate staircase with railings. The central courtyard was paved with mosaics and decorated with columns with capitals. Three rows of wooden seats were installed around three walls with natural asphalt blocks between them.
According to Atrash, partially covering the latrines helped disperse unpleasant odors, and stone blocks placed around the walls of the structure served as supports for wooden seats. Under the seats was a deep sewer channel that carried waste into the city sewer system. Another channel was intended for clean water, which was used for rinsing sponges and for general cleaning.
“When I started excavating, I didn’t think we would find a latrine. But as the excavation progressed and the drainage system was exposed, I realized that this is exactly what we are in a public toilet. Excavations of such a structure are interesting, and, of course, after thousands of years there is not the slightest smell. It’s a completely different way of thinking,” Atrash says with a smile.
This find provides a unique research opportunity. Archaeologists hope to study the samples and learn about the diet of the ancient inhabitants, as well as possible diseases that may have existed at that time. Waste found in latrines can be a treasure trove for scientific research.
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News agencies contributed to this report, edited and published by ORDO News editors.
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