this post was submitted on 16 Sep 2025
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HistoryArt

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[–] Dasus@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Oh there's a third one, where there's just a very large hole and no way of emptying it.

So you had gong farmers go in an empty it. Or just sealed it shut and made a new one.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gong_farmer

[–] ceenote@lemmy.world 14 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

As gross as it would be to be able to see someone's poop drop down the side of the wall, the one on the left must have smelled atrocious.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 17 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

There was at least one incident where a strike force managed to climb up a castle's poop chute, so the right side has some additional disadvantages...

[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 10 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

Imagine trying to take a dump and getting an arrow right in the taint...

[–] Dolphinfreetuna@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

How thick is the arrow? Asking for a friend

[–] ceenote@lemmy.world 2 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

If the arrow doesn't kill them and they sound the alarm, you'd be in deep shit.

[–] hansolo@lemmy.today 2 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

I've always wondered this. if you're surrounded and your shitter is the version that opens to the outside, your hanging ass is entirely visible to anyone. If you're locked in the keep, do you just plan to hold it for an entire standoff?

[–] Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca 1 points 4 hours ago

I mean... I'd collect it and fire it at the enemy... Certainly not hanging my bare ass over the wall during a siege.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 3 points 10 hours ago

You'd probably be emptying your chamber pot during moments of calm rather than shitting directly on the shitter at that point.

[–] DisOne@lemmy.zip 15 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

The one on the right often smelt pretty bad too because everyone’s poo and urine ended up in the moat, making that eventually turn into a cesspit too

[–] hansolo@lemmy.today 4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, saw that once in a castle in France and wondered what in the hell people were thinking wanting to live in the middle of a shit pond?

[–] piccolo@sh.itjust.works 5 points 11 hours ago

Someone who hoarded lots of wealth and made enemies. The poop moat was a first line of defense, because you gotta be real pissed to try and cross it.

[–] Beacon@fedia.io 3 points 13 hours ago

According to a commenter from when this was posted previously, both designs waste areas were cleaned out frequently

https://fedia.io/m/historyillustrations@lemmy.world/t/1018190/Two-types-of-Medieval-castle-latrines#comments

[–] CubitOom 4 points 13 hours ago

Which one is easier to climb up and stab the king though?