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Greeks Wiped With Pebbles
- Ancient Greeks sometimes used smooth pebbles called pessoi to clean themselves after defecation, and archaeologists have found mineralised excrement on such objects.
- Long-term use could cause irritation or haemorrhoids, so the practice had clear downsides.
Toilet Paper Preceded Western Rolls
- Chinese imperial courts used very large toilet-paper sheets centuries before the West standardized rolls.
- Modern toilet roll as a cylindrical product was popularised in the late 19th century by Clarence and Irvin Scott.
Nose-Blowing As A Parisian Job
- In 1860 Paris a woman earned a living blowing the noses of war veterans who'd lost arms in battle, offering a practical service to invalids.
- Handkerchiefs used to come in many shapes, only becoming square after royal decree in France.