The Latrine in the Roman Bathhouse at Humayma, Jordan
In the summer of 2010 an archaeological excavation, under the direction of Dr. Reeves of the Classics Department at Queen’s, uncovered the remains of a latrine at the Roman site of Humayma, Jordan. This latrine was part of a larger bathhouse which was associated with a nearby Roman fort. Typical of Roman latrines, the one at Humayma was a large room with seats for up to seven people built over a waste channel. The latrine also had a smaller channel for personal cleaning after using the latrine. Both these channels were fed from overflow water from the bath. This paper examines the latrine in relation to similar Roman facilities in the Near East. The paper also looks at the larger picture of the latrine’s place in the complex system of water management and use implemented by the ancient inhabitants of the Jordanian desert. Comparative research reveals that the latrine at Humayma followed typical designs oflatrines in the Roman Near East. Similar features from other sites also allow for the development of theories regarding archaeological features no longer extant in the latrine at Humayma. The construction of the facility shows to what extent the Roman garrison influenced local building and the presence of a drain hints at the reusing of water vital for survival in the desert at Humayma