The story of toilets, telephones & other useful inventions

The story of toilets, telephones & other useful inventions

Chapter 1 The story of toilets Long ago, people didn't even have houses, so building a toilet was the last thing on their minds.

They roamed the forests, hunting animals. . . gathering berries. . . and squatting behind a tree.

Then they learned to farm the land and made themselves homes to live in. Some built a toilet in the yard, but it was only a hole in the ground. When the hole filled up, they simply covered it with mud and dug another. This worked fine. . . until they ran out of space.

The ancient Romans had a much better idea - public toilets. They placed a long, stone slab with holes over a deep trench. Then they decorated the toilet room with marble and mosaics.

Going to the toilet became a great way to meet people. Romans sat in a row, chatting about politics and plays. Below them, water flowed through the trench and washed everything away.