Ancient toilet found during excavation in Jerusalem 0:54
(CNN) -
A 2,700-year-old toilet was found during archaeological excavations of a former royal mansion in Jerusalem.
The private toilet cubicle, dating from the late 7th century BC.
C., was unearthed in the remains of the building, which overlooks the archaeological site of the City of David and the Temple Mount, according to a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), published this Wednesday.
The royal property operated at the end of the period of the Kings of Judah, according to the IAA, before Israel was crushed by the Assyrians.
The stone-carved bathroom is a rectangular cabin with a carved toilet that sat over a deep septic tank.
"The toilet, made of limestone, is designed to sit comfortably, with a hole in the center," the IAA wrote.
Yaakov Billig, excavation director for the IAA, said that private toilet cubicles were very rare in ancient times, and only a few have been found.
Archaeologists believe that in this place there was a magnificent palace.
Yoli Schwartz / Courtesy of the IAA
"In fact, toilets were only available to the rich," Billig said in the press release.
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"A thousand years later, the Mishnah and the Talmud raised various criteria that define a rich person, and Rabbi Yossi suggested that being rich is 'having the toilet next to your table,'" he added.
The Mishnah is the first written codification of Jewish oral law, and the Talmud is a compilation of ancient teachings.
Rabbi Yossi was one of the most famous teachers of the Mishnah.
According to the IAA, the septic tank located under the toilet contained a large amount of pottery and animal bones, which were collected along with the earth fill.
The study of these materials could contribute to the understanding of the lifestyle and diet of the time, as well as of ancient diseases, the agency said.
The excavations also unearthed a large amount of pottery and animal bones in the septic tank. Yoli Schwartz / Courtesy of the IAA
In the larger excavation area, archaeologists discovered stone capitals in a style typical of the time, and small columns that were used as railings for the windows.
The team also found evidence that there was a garden near the bathroom, with ornamental trees, fruit trees and aquatic plants, adding to the impression that there was a sprawling palace at the site, according to the press release.
"It is fascinating to see how something that is obvious to us today, such as toilets, was a luxury item during the reign of the kings of Judah," IAA Director Eli Eskosido said in the statement, adding: "Jerusalem never ceases to amaze."
More details on the excavation are scheduled to be revealed at a conference, dubbed "Innovations in the archeology of Jerusalem and its environs", which will take place on Wednesday and Thursday in Jerusalem and on the Internet.
Israel has long been a rich source of archaeological finds.
In April, archaeologists working in the Israeli city of Yavne unearthed a well-preserved 1,600-year-old mosaic.
Archaeologists discover 1,600-year-old mosaic in Israel
The mosaic, dating from the Byzantine period (300-400 BC), was found while archaeologists unearthed a vast industrial area that operated for several centuries.
And in March, dozens of fragments of a Dead Sea manuscript with biblical text were found by archaeologists working in the Judean desert.
The fragments were the first pieces of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in about 60 years and were recovered from a cave where Jewish rebels against the Roman Empire were hiding about 1,900 years ago.
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