Re: On Pennsic....

[rmhowe <magnusm@ncsu.edu>]

Poster: rmhowe <magnusm@ncsu.edu>

Tristan de Roquelaure wrote:
> 
> Poster: "Tristan de Roquelaure" <barderic@mailcity.com>
> 
> On Sun, 23 Aug 1998 03:07:07   rmhowe wrote:
> 
> > >Rowanwald Central wrote:
> >>
> >> Poster: "Rowanwald Central" <rownwald@gte.net>
> >>
> >> > *steps out of the water-closet after releaveing himserlf of all
       that pink lemonaid*
       Did yoiu know that the romans had rea running water and flushing
       toilets? *starts across the floor, slips and falls on his butt*

> >>  "They had air conditioning too," answers Rosine as she hands him
       a pillow.
  
> >Yeah, but sharing those little dip sponges on a stick....

> *takes the pillow, slowely stanidng back up*
> Thank you, m'Lady...
> And Sir??  "dip sponges on a stick", Sir??
 
> --Michael

Roman substitute for TP. Dunked in the little running water trough
set in the floor before them.

For a graphic illustration of Roman Latrines see Hadrian's Wall
in the Days of the Romans by Ronald Embleton, page 143. A most 
exceptional book. If you ever wondered what Roman England was really
capable of...

"The wooden seating was arranged along two of the walls and fresh
water flowed along two chanels in which the soldiers could wash their
sponges (used like toilet paper today). Each solder carried an 
individual sponge which was attached to the end of a stick. There seems
to have been a small hole in the floor in front of each seat into 
which the soldier could stand his individual sponge. The water from
the two floor channels emptied into a lower one which flushed under
the seats."... From Housesteads fort in England. I imagine sponges
in England were quite a commodity. Find a sponge far away from the 
Mediterranean. Also good surviving examples at Ostia, the Roman seaport.
............
In other places they used moss instead. (Bearsden, Scotland). Moss
was also popular in Bergen, Norway, along with heaps of hay and straw
from the castles and monasteries of Europe, but more hygienic than
sponges - which were reused. No doubt an early inspiration for 
pomanders and cloven fruit and hair sticks. :) Dip sponges that is.
If they _were_ individual you must have carried them _somewhere_.

In China, if you were in the Imperial City you had an industry making
720,000 sheets of toilet paper a year, along with another 15,000
special 3X3 sheets, perfumed and soft, for the imperial family.
>From Ancient Inventions by Peter James.

Now arabs use the left hand and a little bowl of water, which is Why
they only eat with the right, and why that is severed for crimes.
Makes one unacceptable at the table.

Now you know what Laurels do to amuse themselves...right Dafydd? ;)
You always wondered didn't you? We just find out.

Magnus, repository of truly odd information rarely asked for.
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