Jerusalem Elite Suffered From Infectious Disease 2,700 Yrs Ago — Stone Toilet Of First Temple-Era Villa Reveals

A new study has found intestinal worm eggs in a 2,700-year-old stone toilet that was part of an ancient luxury private estate's 'restroom' in Jerusalem.

A 2700-year-old private toilet cubicle that was part of an ancient royal estate operating at the end of the Kings of Judean period (7th century BC), at the Armon Hanatziv promenade of Jerusalem | Photo credit: Yoli SCHWARTZ / Israeli Antiquities Authority / AFP

New Delhi: The remains of 2,700-year-old intestinal worm eggs found below the stone toilet of a magnificent private estate have revealed that Jerusalem elite suffered from an infectious disease, according to a study conducted by Tel Aviv University, Israel, and the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The stone toilet is part of a luxury villa that dates back to the First Temple period, which lasted from 957 BCE to 570 BCE. Solomon's Temple, which was the first temple built in Jerusalem, is known as the First Temple, and was fully constructed by 957 BCE, according to Biblical narrative. The year of destruction of the temple marked the end of the First Temple Period.

Parasites Found In The Stone Toilet

The study, which was recently published in the International Journal of Paleopathology, found that the egg remnants belong to four different types of intestinal parasites, namely — roundworm, tapeworm, whipworm, and pinworm. 

The sediment collected below the stone toilet seat at Armon Hanatziv had parasitic organisms such as Enterobius vermicularis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris suis, Trichuris trichuria, and Taenia species.

Even The Wealthy Suffered From Diseases & Epidemics In Ancient Times

The stone toilet was in the estate's "restroom" and indicates that even the wealthy residents of Jerusalem at that time suffered from diseases and epidemics, the study said.

Dr Dafna Langgut, the lead author of the study, had collected sediment samples from underneath the stone toilet, where the cesspit was located. Then, she chemically extracted the parasite eggs in her laboratory, scrutinised them under a light microscope, and identified them. The Israel Antiquities Authority had recently carried out a salvage excavation at the Armon Hanatziv Promenade in Jerusalem, and the egg remains were discovered as part of this excavation.

Dr Langgut said the findings of the study are among the earliest observed in Israel to date, according to a statement issued by Tel Aviv University. She explained that the eggs are durable, and under special conditions provided by the cesspit, survived for nearly 2,700 years. 

Intestinal worms are parasites that cause symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhoea, and itching, she added. Some of them are dangerous for children and can cause malnutrition, developmental delays, nervous system damage, and on extreme cases, even death, she said.

What Caused Intestinal Disease During The First Temple Period?

According to Dr Langgut, poor sanitary conditions could have been responsible for intestinal disease at that time, which caused faecal contamination of food and drinking water. Another possible reason could have been lack of hygiene awareness, such as a failure to wash hands. 

The use of human faeces to fertilise field crops and the consumption of improperly cooked red meat could have been other possible sources of infection, according to Dr Langgut. Recovery from intestinal worms was difficult to impossible, in the absence of medicine. Also, those infected could suffer from the parasites for the rest of their lives, during that period.

A Bothersome & Long-Lasting Infectious Disease Affected The Entire Population

The findings of the study indicate a bothersome and long-lasting Infectious disease that affected the entire population. This is comparable to lice and pinworms in the kindergartens of today, according to the study. Though the parasites still exist today, they don't turn into an epidemic because the Western world has developed effective diagnostic means, Langgut said.

Ya'akov Billing, the director of the excavation, said that the uncovered royal estate dates back to mid-7th century BC, which was the late Iron Age, and the end of the Kings of Judean period. He added that magnificent stone artefacts of extraordinary workmanship were found at the site, such as decorated stone capitals of a quantity and quality not yet observed in ancient Israel.

There was a spectacular garden with a breathtaking view of the City of David and the Temple Mount adjacent to this mansion.

This was the location where the Langgut found the cesspit, along with remains of fruit and ornamental trees. The toilet was capped by a square limestone installation with a hole in its centre, which the researchers identified as a toilet's drop hole. 

The discovery is important because the microscopic remains will help researchers learn about the history of diseases and epidemics, and new information regarding human health, hygiene, lifestyle, and sanitary conditions in a particular region.

Toilet Facilities Were A Luxury & Status Symbol

The researchers were not surprised by the recovery of a toilet in the estate's prestigious garden because toilet facilities were extremely rarest that time and were a status symbol. It was a luxury facility that only the rich and high-ranking could afford.

Dr Langgut concluded that studies like this help researchers document the history of infectious diseases in Israel and provide them with a window into the lives of people in ancient times. She is conducting further research on the sediments collected from the cesspit to learn about the diet and medicinal herbs used in Jerusalem in the late Iron Age.