Ken:

Is this the woman of your dreams or what. I believe you have found the
new executive director of the "Outdoor Privy Museum".

Signed,

A Patron of the Arts


=========
Candice Brashears wrote:
>
> Michael,
> Re your 2/4/99 query about "corn pones in the privy" in New Hampshire and the
> old privy on the Greek Island of Thera.  (I won't comment on "Plato's
> Atlantis).
>
> Actually much research has been done on the contents of privies by the
> archaeological community.  Privies were a popular disposal facility for more
> things than one (or "two").  Coins, watches, jewelery, keys - fall out of
> pockets;  pipe stems, med and booze bottles,  broken dishes from the kitchen,
> old pots - crockery, tea cups,garden tools ...I could go on.  When the hole
> was filled in at the privies' "retirement", all sorts of household and yard
> "junk" would be tossed in the hole.   Privies add to the cultural stories
> about the lives of the people occupying the property.  Their surviving broken
> castoffs in these treasure troves can indicate economic status as well as
> availablility of certain goods in a particular location (say your rural New
> Hampshire).  Dating a privie can help date a structure.
>
> Regarding corn pone:  Corn pone is a johnnycake.  Flat and fried on the
> griddle, I seem to remember it as rather crumbly - similar to cornbread.
> White breads are known to have been used as TP, but I'm not sure of
> johnnycakes.
> On the other hand: johnnycakes have been around in the Colonies since the
> Native American's showed the settlers what to do with corn.  Perhaps it was
> more than a breakfast food.  Another reason why the John is named as such?
> Make sure you know where your johnnycake has been before eating.
>
> Corn cobs were used in rural America in the privie.  Sounds a bit harsh but
> true.  The cobs were soaked until soft and left handy in the outhouse for use.
> The shape of the cob helped clean out those hard to reach areas on one's
> derriere.  Sort of a large wet pipe cleaner for people's backsides.
>
> Early indoor toilet - c.2350 BC: Summerians of Mesopotamia - Sargon I.
>                              Palace had 6 horsehoe shaped spaces positioned
> over a
>                              cesspit.
>
>                              c.2200-1500BC: High point in Minoan culture -
> Palace in city of
>                               Knossos .  Flush toilets.  Roof water drains to
> interconnected
>                              Terracotta pipes feeding bathrooms.
>
> Amusing reading suggestion:
> "The Porcelain God: A Social History of the Toilet"
> by Julie L. Horan
> Publisher: Carol Publishing Group. NY: 1996
>
> Candy Brashears