Toilet in Pompeian brothel

Toilet in a Pompeian brothel. The person using the toilet defecated into the potty/vessel which was located under the hole. The excrement and urine were then immediately disposed of in the sewers outside the house.

Since the indoor toilet did not have a running water channel and a sponge stick (called a tersorium or xylospongium) could not be used to clean oneself, a bucket of salt water or vinegar water was used instead. As a last resort, the Romans used pessoi, small stones, with which they wiped themselves.