The Long, Messy, History of the Toilet

We use toilets daily, yet take for granted the fact that we can flush and walk away without a second thought instead of tossing the contents of a chamber pot out a window and hoping for the best. The road to modern plumbing was long, messy, and, at times, horrifyingly unsanitary.In this first episode, we’re covering the earliest attempts at waste management, from the caveman era (where “going” was as simple as finding a good bush) to the impressive sewer systems of ancient Rome, where bathroom breaks were more social events than private retreats. We’ll explore the accidental genius of early sanitation methods, the catastrophic failures of some of history’s worst bathroom designs, and the infamous communal sponge on a stick that the Romans thought was a good idea.But this is just the beginning. Because after Rome’s glorious indoor plumbing came crashing down with the empire's fall, things got significantly worse before they got better. In part two, we’ll dive into the absolute nightmare of medieval sanitation, the filth-ridden cities of the Renaissance, and how humans finally crawled their way out of the sewage-filled streets and into the comfort of indoor plumbing.So, sit back, get comfortable, and be grateful for whatever bathroom situation you have today—because, as you’re about to find out, history’s toilets were much worse. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit anthropoopologist.substack.com/subscribe