The World’s Oldest Toilet System
The oldest toilet system in the world was discovered in Scotland, on a small island just off the North coast, called Skara Brae. A storm revealed the remains of a village dating all the way back to the Stone Age, more than 5000 years ago, consisting of 9 identical single room houses. Each had a small section of the room divided off, with a hole cut into the floor, which led to drains which flowed to the sea. Read more about
these ancient ruins.
Earliest Recorded Flush
The earliest recorded flushing toilet belonged to King Minos of Crete, over 3,000 years ago. The
Minoan civilization used not only a highly advanced water management system, but had separate piped drainage systems for solid and liquid waste.
The King and Queen both had private bathrooms near their personal apartments. Learn all about
the Great Palace of Knossos.
Using the Nile
In ancient Egypt, indoor toilets consisted of a wooden seat with a hole cut in the bottom, and a bucket of sand beneath to catch the waste. Buckets were then emptied into the Nile. However these were not very popular and most people relieved themselves outdoors instead!
What the Romans Did
The Romans looked at going to the toilet very differently to the way we do today. It was treated as a social occasion, a chance to share news and gossip with their friends. Roman public toilets, similar to public baths, had no partitions, and men and women used the same room!
Similar to Egyptian toilets, a Roman toilet was simply a hole cut into a wooden or stone bench. Waste fell into the sewer system which flowed beneath the baths and carried it into the Tiber.
The Dark Ages
When the Romans left Britain for good, they took with them the concept of advanced drainage. The Anglo-Saxons who moved in after them simply dug deep holes in the ground and squatted over them.
These cesspits were not cleaned out, were shared with household waste and broken pottery, and were simply buried when full!
Mediaeval “Hygiene”
Euugh…sanitation was practically non-existent in this period! Townsfolk lived in filthy, cramped houses and open sewage channels flowed down their streets.
Common people used chamber pots to go to the toilet, and simply flung the contents into the street with a cry of Gardez l’eau! (Look out! Water!), commonly believed to be the origin of the word “loo”. Rainwater would eventually wash it into these open sewers, but disease and foul stenches were rife.
Rich mediaeval people had small rooms sticking out from their homes and castles, where they would do their business squatting over a wooden plank with a hole cut out. These would usually be positioned over moats or cesspits, and waste would just be allowed to drop.
A servant, usually a small boy, was given the delightful task of cleaning the pit out when it was full. Rather him than me!
The Royal Throne
In 1596, a flush toilet was invented and built for Queen Elizabeth I by her grandson, Sir John Harrington. She was said to have been initially suspicious but quickly converted to its charms.
However, Harrington was universally mocked by his peers for his 'useless' contraption, and people continued to use chamber pots and cesspits until well into the 18th Century. Check out
Harrington’s legacy.
Flushed with Success
In 1775 Alexander Cummings was granted the first ever patent for a flushing toilet. The design was improved upon 3 years later by Joseph Brahma, but the basic design for every modern day toilet can be traced to Cummings’ invention.
The Great Stink
During the 19th Century you would NOT have wanted to live in a big city like London in those days. During hot summers, they smelled like one huge open sewer!
Poor hygiene and sanitation was publically recognised as being a leading cause of disease and illness, and the design and construction of toilets and sewer systems became a priority.
Paying for the Privilege
In 1829, the Tremont Hotel, Boston became the first public building to have indoor plumbing, boasting eight toilets.
Prior to this event, indoor plumbing had only been found in the private houses of society’s richest individuals.
By George, I'm on the Crapper!
George Jennings, a plumber and inventor, is generally credited with the invention of the flush-out and flush-down toilet systems.
Between 1852 and 1854 he filed and was granted a number of patents relating to these, which are very close to the average flush toilet you use today.
The now-infamous Thomas Crapper started his career as a sanitation engineer in 1861. His name might have passed into the English language as a slang term for the toilet, but as we have seen (and contrary to popular belief), he was not its inventor. He did however register 13 different patents for improvements on Jennings’ existing flushing toilet system.
His real claim to fame was running such a successful sanitation business, installing drains and manhole covers for the Royal Family and such landmarks as Westminster Abbey, that his business still exists to this day! Discover the historical truth about
Thomas Crapper.The Latest Models
These modern and luxurious toilets would seem to bear little resemblance to their ancestors, but the basic concept is the same as used by the Minoans all those centuries ago; to remove waste and to prevent foul odours from spoiling the home.
Think about that the next time you’re on the toilet. You’re taking advantage of more than 5,000 years of human ingenuity!
