TOILET PAPER AND ITS PREDECESSORS

In ancient times, the handiest solution was, well, the hand. Usually the left. That’s why in some cultures, eating, or even just touching someone with the left hand, is still regarded as a “sinister” practice. The ancient Greeks used stones, while the Romans favoured a “xylesphongium,” a natural sponge on a stick inserted through a vertical opening on the front of a stone toilet seat. There was no need to stand up to finish the job. Interestingly, a modern incarnation of this device is available for overweight people, but instead of a sponge, the gadget holds a piece of toilet paper.