Newly found Revolutionary War-era toilet is a window into the past

A plunge into an eighteenth-century toilet in Philadelphia has left archaeologists bowled over with its insights into Revolutionary War life, according to a new report by National Geographic.

While a lot of people usually think of archaeology as uncovering tombs or exploring temples, in reality, the majority of it is straight-up garbage—because while written sources can lie or be misled, the trash they left behind usually tells a more accurate story.

Which is why certain features—like latrines—can cause a lot of excitement, as people frequently used them to dump their trash before trash collection was an established practice. The pit latrine found behind a small Philadelphia house in the summer of 2014 was no exception; dug in 1776 and filled in in 1786, it provides a rare snapshot of life in the nascent United States.

Found fittingly on the future site of the Museum of the American Revolution, the latrine’s 619 artifacts reflect Philadelphia as it began to boom as a trade and manufacturing hub—like German tankards and fine Chinese porcelain (both broken, of course). Such items were then examined in the light of historical research into the time, including deeds, insurance maps, and Quaker meeting minutes.

From this, the researchers have been able to estimate the exact date the pit was dug: July 10, 1776, when a couple named Benjamin and Mary Humphreys bought a house in the area. Of course, being a private home, one would assume their latrine would host the usual household garbage, but as it turns out, the Humphreys’ latrine revealed their secrets through their interesting trash.

Instead of broken kitchenware, the archaeologists pulled up huge numbers of drinking glasses, tankards, punch bowls, serving dishes, smoking pipes, and alcohol bottles.

What was the paraphernalia of a bar doing on a property that never had a tavern license, according to records? It appears that the Humphreys were running what was referred to as a “disorderly house”—something like a speakeasy of ill repute. Mary Humphreys would be arrested for this very reason some eight years later, in July of 1783.

Artifacts give surprising insight

Perhaps even more interesting, Some of the artifacts show a bit more of the political leanings of the time, starting with shards of glass with the word “love” etched on it.

“When we first saw that word we thought, ‘Oh, it’s just some lovesick guy who’s drinking too much and writing a message on the window,’” Rebecca Yamin, the excavation’s principal archaeologist, told National Geographic.

But then more of the glass was found, leading to a nearly-full phrase being recovered: “We admire riches and are in love with …”

“And we know the last word is idleness,” said Yamin. In fact, this was a somewhat popular quote at the time; it comes from an ancient Roman senator named Cato the Younger, and was repeated during a play that was making its rounds at the time. They play involved Cato defying the tyranny of Julius Caesar—which apparently reverberated well with American colonists who wished for independence from Britain.

“This quote would have been known to people who were thinking politically in 18th-century Philadelphia,” said Yamin. “This man was writing a political message, which is so consistent with what we know was going on in the taverns at the time.”

Of course, all this and much more was found—and some of it is even making its way into the future Museum of the American Revolution when it opens in April of 2017.

“Often in urban sites we dig this stuff up and it just goes into the basement of some state institution, never to be seen again,” said Yamin, “but in this case it’s really going to be seen. We’re really excited about that.”

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Image credit: Museum of the American Revolution

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