Private Lavatories

The case of the remains of earthen fixed utensils (vessels) for sewerage in Olynthos could be reported as the older known residential lavatory. A common feature is placement of the lavatory at the perimeter of buildings next to the street. Most probably it was supplied by reuse of water from other household uses since no water supply conduit was found.

Numerous domestic lavatories have been preserved in Delos (Fig. 4.3). Their size is medium or small and the main ditch has an L shaped plan. The smaller ones have the bench with the openings along only one side, while the larger ones have a bench along the three sides. Most likely the seats with the keyhole shaped openings were wooden. The sewerage was applied via the conduits in the streets. Because of the lack of water on the island, they probably flushed with reused water and not with the limited water of the domestic cistern.

The resemblance of Ithidiki’s residence lavatory (Fig. 4.2) in Minoa on Amorgos, with the equivalent ones on Delos is remarkable. On the other hand the main difference is that it was supplied by natural flow of water from the conduit attached to the outer wall. Most probably it carried water from the drainage of buildings at a higher elevation. The inner conduit had an L plan and the room became part of a workshop during the Roman period (possibly a glass shop). The case of the lavatory in a house of Dystos (Fig. 4.4), illustrates the effect of the terrain on the construction (Hoepfner, 1999). The inclination led to a shape and layout with similarities to the lavatory in Minoa’s Gymnasium. However the main difference is that in Dystos there was no natural water flow and the sewerage flowed to the space just outside of the house, without any conduit (Fig. 4.4).

In Erythres the lavatory was placed in the corner of the atrium along the narrow side of the room, just opposite from the door. The sewage flowed outside of the building. Lavatories have been found in other ancient towns such as Kassopi behind Katagogeion. Private lavatories were spread throughout the Roman Empire similar to the public ones. In Ostia, the existence of a lavatory in almost every house was a common feature.