Archaeologists work in the area of the latrina in ancient city of Smyrna, Izmir, western Turkey, Nov. 3, 2021. (AA Photo)
Posted on 11/07/2021 8:43:27 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Ongoing excavations have revealed a historical latrina – a toilet or an even simpler facility used as a toilet within a sanitation system – at a historical theater in the ancient city of Smyrna, located within the borders of the western city of Izmir. The latrina is thought to have been used by the artists in the theater. The theater and the commode date back to around the second century B.C. and were used until the fifth century A.D., said Akın Ersoy, an archaeologist at Izmir's Katip Çelebi University and head of the excavation team.
Touting "unexpected finds" during the excavations, an Izmir Metropolitan Municipality statement cited Ersoy as saying this is the first time such a toilet facility inside a stage building has been found.
The commode in the theater, around 40 centimeters (16 inches) high, has a U-shape seating arrangement and could accommodate 12-13 people at a time. Next to it is a U-shaped trough 8-10 cm (3-4 in) deep for clean water.
Scientists believe the toilet, located in a closed area, "was used by actors working in the stage building and performing in the theater," not by audience members, said Ersoy.
Such a find in theaters in the Mediterranean region is unprecedented, he added.
The ancient city, which was established between Kadifekale and the İzmir Bay, has welcomed visitors and travelers from different cultures over the centuries. Smyrna offers fascinating views of history to modern man with its basilica, historic murals and well-protected buildings.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailysabah.com ...
Archaeologists work in the area of the latrina in ancient city of Smyrna, Izmir, western Turkey, Nov. 3, 2021. (AA Photo)
Apparently all traces had nearly been wiped out.
To paraphrase an old cheech and chong skit...
“Is that poo?” “yeah” “Good thing we not step in it.”
Dig around an old latrine, one can finds all kinds of shiite.
Heh... my folks never figured that one out, but I got in a jam the night I fell asleep with “The Wedding Album” on and “Hey Margaret” came on. They were vulgar and tasteless and lowbrow, and still are, even in this day and age, but I was in my teens at the time. :^)
Sounds like they’re rolling back the pages of history.
Not to be confused with a wise Latina..,.
I could just imagine the conversation there. “You’re still performing that old Plautus stuff? That guy’s a downer. Try your hand at Seneca, much fresher material.”
Who’d a thunk it? People back then had to urinate and defecate too. Hard to believe. Learn something new every day!
For the knights, and page will do.
I guess if you are an archeologist sometimes you find gold and sometimes you find...
I once had an unsatisfactory transaction at a fast food joint. Her name tag proudly proclaimed her to be Latrina. Mother must have been a seer.
“Is that a dagger in your toga, or...”
LOL
I spent a week in Turkey back in the ‘80s, and saw a community toilet something like this one at Ephesus. A friend and I went for a week and hired our own guide, a very nice man with a wonderful new car. He took us to the loo and told us everyone tries it out. So we sat.
Laughter ensued.
And there is Urethra Franklin, her mother named her after the singer to show racial pride.
No, I don’t think you do.
It was probably the Ladies Room...just sayin'!
A decade or two ago, I went to the 4th of July celebration at the Hatch Shell in Boston, and as usual, it was jammed with hordes of people. They had set up a long row of port-o-potties, but only the women were going inside to use them.
On the back sides of them (which faced the river) there were rows of men peeing on the back of the port-o-potties. The State Police, in a parked car driven along the pedestrian pathway, turned on their spotlight and trained it on the urinating men highlighting them starkly in a large, bright circle of light...
The urinators continued unperturbed...:)
Ephesus just has one of those “group pooper” names...
And then they discovered the ladies’ room, which was filled with skeletons in groups of three.
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