DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT TOILET

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Many people picture ancient toilets as filthy and unhygienic. But surprisingly, they were not much different from modern-day toilets. A large ancient toilet dating back 150 years has been discovered at Gyeongbokgung Palace. It was found to have an advanced purification system.

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Gyeongbokgung Palace. Renovated in 1868 by Regent Heungseon Daewongun to restore royal power. That’s also when the East Pavilion was built for the Crown Prince and Princess. Traces of a large toilet have been discovered in the southern part of the pavilion. Measuring 10.4 m long and 1.8 m deep, the long, narrow toilet pit built of stone is shaped like a rectangle. Four to five rooms are presumed to have been built above the pit. Up to ten people could use the facility at once. More than 150 people would have used it daily. That was possible thanks to a purification system installed in the toilet. Water was infused inside to make impurities settle at the bottom. Contaminated water was discharged along with fresh water through two drains. This ancient system is not much different from modern-day toilet systems.

[Soundbite] Oh Dong-seon(Ganghwa National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage) : "When water is mixed with feces, it accelerates corrosion and significantly reduces odor."

More than 18,000 parasite eggs per gram along with vegetable seeds were found in the soil inside the purification device. This serves as proof that this facility was a toilet, and that impurities never overflowed from it.

[Soundbite] Oh Dong-seon(Ganghwa National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage) : "Soil collected outside of the toilet contained zero parasite eggs. This means water from the toilet did not overflow the brick fence."

It’s the first discovery of a toilet in an ancient royal palace. Experts say the purification system appears quite advanced, as it wasn’t in use even in Europe at the time.

[Soundbite] Lee Jang-hown(Korea Living Environment Odor Institute) : "In western countries, feces were thrown away using water. This is the first facility where feces were collected in one place before being processed."

The Cultural Heritage Administration plans to conduct more excavations as more toilets could be discovered inside the palace.