Sewer pits - a source of knowledge about the Romans
The intimate life of ancient Romans is well known, among others due to discovered cloisters. Evidence of this is found in the Herculaneum place under a small complex of commercial premises and apartments.
Scientists are still studying its content. Droppings and food residue went to one place from simple toilets in the above apartments. Thanks to this, researchers are able to determine what about 150 tenants of the tenement ate: fish, sea urchins (spikes have survived), eggs, chickens, walnuts, figs (seeds have survived).
Broken glass and dishes were also found below. This proves that the residents of the upper floors also used the toilet as a chute. It turns out that they also had to be more wealthy, because they could even afford jewels, which they also managed to find among the droppings.
- Beard Mary, SPQR. Historia starożytnego Rzymu, Poznań 2016
