sullafelix Posted April 29, 2006 Report Share Posted April 29, 2006 Hullo I have some really appetising topics of conversation I know. But I was reading Pliny (Elder) and he talks about manuring the fields with human dung. I was wondering if anyone knows whether there were nightsoil collectors in urban areas. I know that the sewerage and everything was top notch (What have the romans ever done for us etc!) but I was wondering if you knew at all Another thing, what was done with the human waste from large households, did they have a midden or something? All help as usual gratefully received. :bag: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 Urine was a useful commodity for fulleries, as a bleach for laundry, and would be left in pots for collection more often than not. Solid waste was thrown onto the street - a particular hazard of night-time travel around the streets. I'm not aware that anyone was employed to sweep this away, it was probably like most periods in history - the waste decomposed or was washed away by rain. The smell must have been awful, and it certainly would've attracted pests. However - since Pliny the Elder describes using solid waste for fertiliser, then someone made some effort to gather it. But was that purely a rural activity, or did someone collect dung in the towns and cities? I suspect the former. Yes, middens have been found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil25 Posted April 30, 2006 Report Share Posted April 30, 2006 In Pompeii, just inside the main entrance to the building of Eumachia, there is a huge jar used as a public urinal (the building may have been the fullers' hall). Containers for urine were also found close to fullers' shops throughout the town. I don't know about more solid waste - but it would not surprise me if those not blessed with an inside toilet were served by some sort of collection facilities. Town and country were closely connected remeber with fields never further than a few hundred yards away. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 (edited) Agreed, but I haven't come across any specific mention of dung collectors/merchants. Now that doesn't discount the work of slaves, but the condition of roman streets wasn't much different from any other period in history. They were filthy and smelled a lot. Remember that permanent stepping stones were laid across the road between pavements in Pompeii. Edited May 1, 2006 by caldrail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 However - since Pliny the Elder describes using solid waste for fertiliser, then someone made some effort to gather it. But was that purely a rural activity, or did someone collect dung in the towns and cities? Considering the functioning of the Roman bathhouses and how running water was used to carry the waste away, wouldn't it then just be a matter of how you directed the water carrying solid waste? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 1, 2006 Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 In that instance, yes. Its the waste chucked out of the window of the plebian dwellings at night that would have caused a good deal of mess. They had no facilities for carrying away solid waste. Or was that only a few lazy individuals? Did the responsible majority carry their waste somewhere to dispose of it sensibly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullafelix Posted May 1, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2006 Wow cheers guys that's actually rather useful! I have some evidence that Pliny was talking about urban collection in that he talks of finding hair from the curriers shops (tanners) in the manure and also that the refuse from human banquets was good. These examples appear in the same sentence and so I guess he is referring to both as being urban activities, I think the waste of the city may have ended up in the immediately adjoining agricutlural land. The only question is how far afield did it go? Thanks for all your help guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 9, 2006 Report Share Posted May 9, 2006 As far as a slave could carry it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullafelix Posted May 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 As far as a slave could carry it? Poor sods! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 As far as a slave could carry it? Poor sods! Nightsoil men were a well known urban scavenging force (with handcarts) in the late 19th and early 20th Century in the very town I post to you from . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted May 13, 2006 Report Share Posted May 13, 2006 True but I don't see any sources describing this in roman times. Thats my only objection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longbow Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 The Romans may have used a similar method to the 'Nightsoil men'.My guess is probably slaves cleaning the streets in the early hours,someone must of taking it away.You cant just let it build up in the streets can you?after a couple of months you wouldnt be able to open your front door Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 I just wonder about this topic , because the Romans had one huge sanitation technology advantadge over ourselves, they always sought a constant flushing of latrines with waste water from fountains/public supply .This is seen in all fort installations as well ,perhaps they got rid of the solids pronto? Urine you can certainly use and alas some animal faeces ("skivving" for tannery work) , alas that is for those who use it or live near it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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