Facilities at Ephesus

The Public Toilets at Ephesus from iStockphoto

Another one downloaded from iStockphoto. About.com says:

Telling young children that there were no televisions, movies, or radio, no electric or traffic lights, no refrigerators, or air conditioners, no cars, trains, or airplanes, doesn’t convey the “primitive” conditions nearly so well as explaining that instead of using toilet paper, they used a communal sponge — dutifully rinsed out after use.

Garrett Fagan has more to say at PBS. Those with wider interests may wish to check out Toilets of the World which includes photos of Biblical toilets.