A 2,700-Year-Old Royal Toilet Discovered in Jerusalem https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/history-ideas/2021/10/a-2700-year-old-royal-toilet-discovered-in-jerusalem/

October 6, 2021 | Amy Spiro
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Excavating in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem, archaeologists came across what they consider “a very rare find” from the time of the First Temple. Amy Spiro explains:

The limestone cubicle . . . had a carved stone toilet with a hole in the center, positioned over a deep septic tank. The find . . . is believed to belong to an “ancient royal estate” that operated in the 7th century BCE, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) suggested.

“It is fascinating to see how something that is obvious to us today, such as a toilet, was a luxury item during the reign of the kings of Judah,” said Eli Eskosido, director of the IAA. “Jerusalem never ceases to amaze. One can only imagine the breathtaking view.”

Alongside the toilet, archaeologists working at the dig site have uncovered stone capitals that once stood atop columns as well as small architectural columns that once served as railings for windows. Evidence has also been discovered of a garden with fruit trees and other plants that once stood near the toilet cubicle, symbolic of the once “lush mansion.”

Read more on Times of Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/royal-flush-rare-2700-year-old-private-toilet-discovered-in-jerusalem/