Authorities in Jerusalem reported that archaeologists discovered a unique antique toilet. It goes back more than 2,700 years when private restrooms were a rarity in the holy city. So, this 2700-year-old toilet found in Jerusalem was a rare luxury.
The archaeologists found a smooth, carved limestone toilet in a rectangular cottage. It was part of a huge mansion overlooking what is now the Old City, according to the Israeli Antiquities Authority. It has a deep septic tank sunk underground for comfortable sitting.
“A private toilet cubicle was very rare in antiquity, and only a few were found to date,” said Yaakov Billig, the director of the excavation.
“Only the rich could afford toilets,” he said. Adding that a famed rabbi once proposed that to be wealthy is “to have a toilet next to his table.”
Animal bones and pottery discovered in the septic tank could reveal information about people’s lifestyles, diets at the time, and old diseases, according to the antiquities authorities.
The archaeologists discovered stone capitals and columns from the time. Also, evidence of a surrounding garden with orchards and aquatic plants. Thereby, the 2700-year-old toilet found in Jerusalem indicates that the people who lived there were very well-off.