Latrina: Roman Toilets in the Northwestern Provinces of the Roman Empire: 31 (Archaeopress Roman Archaeology) - Softcover

Stefanie Hoss

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1784917257 ISBN 13: 9781784917258

Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology, 2017

Synopsis

Buildings can be classed into two groups: one very large group that can be termed multi-purpose and that is used with little difference in design for the many and quite variable tasks of living and working and another, smaller group of buildings that are built for a specific purpose clearly defined through their form and / or installations. This of course does not exclude the use of these buildings for other functions, but is an indication of their main or intended use. In the Roman period, examples of this group include many technical buildings, such as aqueducts, harbour installations and defensive walls, but also buildings used by humans every day, such as bath buildings and toilets. During the last four decades, the interest in the social activities that make up the experience of daily life in the Roman Empire has increased both in archaeological scholarship as well as the general public. This had also boosted the interest in Roman toilets. This volume presents a selection of papers and case studies first presented at a conference designed to focus on the toilets of the Northwestern provinces of the Roman Empire, taking place at Radboud University on the 1st and 2nd of May 2009. Papers demonstrate the value of scientific analysis of waste to understand the food habits and diseases of the Roman users of the toilet, while elsewhere questions on how to find the necessary expertise and financing for such investigations were raised. It is impossible at this time to write a definitive history of toilets and toilet-use in Roman times. Much more research is needed to get a clear view of all aspects surrounding human waste removal during the Roman period. While the basics of the architectural aspects of Roman toilets are better known by now, other aspects have been only touched upon briefly. It is hoped that this conference and its proceedings volume will not be the last on this subject in the Northwestern provinces, but just a start for this interesting research topic.

About this title

About the Author

Stefanie Hoss is a post-excavation small finds specialist at Small Finds Archaeology in the Netherlands who also teaches at the University of Cologne. Her interest in toilets is connected to her first PhD on the culture of Roman bathing and the baths and thermae in Palestine (Cologne, 2002). In 2014, she earned a second PhD on Roman military belts at Leiden University. Apart from toilets and the alliterative Roman baths and belts, her research interests include Roman small finds, Roman food and dining habits and the wondrous ways of Roman refuse.

Edition details

• Publisher: Archaeopress Archaeology
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1784917257
• ISBN 13: 9781784917258
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 154