Existing comment:
Privy:
Throughout the 19th century, military sanitation was far ahead of most civilian practice in the West. The "sinks," "privies," "necessaries" and latrines of the military kept contagious disease at a minimum and even by modern standards were not unhealthful.
Many objects were accidentally lost (or purposely discarded) in these pits. Excavation has yielded a wide range of such items as you see here. |