Latrine

Renée Forsell

There were two small structures in the inner part of the room, one of each side of the cesspit. They were probably part of the seating arrangement of a latrine.

The N feature is located along the wall. The upper surface is built in op. incertum and consists of limestone, lava stones, fragments of roof tiles and terracotta. The surface is almost entirely covered by mortar. The mortar is grey and tempered with small pieces of lava and lime. In the W corner there is a pile of stones resting against the wall, mostly lava stones but hard to distinguish as the pile is covered by petrified ash. Further E the surface is concave, wile the surface of the easternmost part is relatively flat. The S face of the feature consists of limestone, lava stones and cruma. The mortar is brownish and tempered with small pieces of lava and lime. In the lower part the stones are almost entirely covered by mortar. To the E the feature is connected to the foundation of the threshold and they have been built at the same time.

The S part feature is built between the W, S and E walls in the S part of the inner room. It is built in op. incertum of limestone, lava stones, cruma, roof tiles and terracotta fragments. The mortar on the N face is grey and tempered with small pieces of lava and lime. The stones in the lower part are almost entirely covered by mortar. Two fragments of roof tiles marks an angle at the height of 0.48m. One is placed vertically and E of this, another tile is placed horizontally. Above several stones are missing. The upper surface is made of stones one almost square but damaged tile and other terracotta fragments. The mortar is brownish and tempered with large pieces of lava and lime. Along the E wall there is some modern mortar and along the S wall there is some remains of plaster. It is probable that this structure was originally a foundation for a staircase. When the partition between the two parts of the room was built. The upper part of the surface was levelled as suggested by the angle made by tiles and the differences in mortar.