The History of Plumbing Technology Throughout the Centuries
By onslaught82
Today the average person in the UK is largely unaware of the importance of plumbing technology, normally taking for granted a high pressure shower and a modern flushed toilet. It is rare that someone in the modern world takes the time to learn about the way plumbing technology has advanced or the history of plumbing in general. This history is interesting and offers some surprising outcomes.
It was during the Greek and Roman empires that plumbing technology first started to evolve. Basic plumbing systems were invented and installed during these empires' rule to make it easier to carry water to and from the public bathing houses that were so popular. It was this necessity that lead to the invention of the aqueduct during the Roman Empire. The aqueduct was the primary mode of plumbing and water distribution from the Roman Empire until the 1800s.
During ancient times, aqueducts were mostly built out of stone or clay while the pipes leading to and from them were fashioned from lead. Modern plumbing, on the other hand, uses vastly different materials. Today, plastic, steel, brass and copper are widely used for the construction of plumbing systems and pipes. Lead is no longer used because it is highly toxic.
The bath houses that the Romans enjoyed are considered the predecessors of plumbing as it currently exists. Originally, public bathing only occurred while the sun was up because the bath water was only replaced once each day. Remember, it was not until long after the Roman Empire fell that bacterium was discovered and the western world learned how diseases were spread with the obvious implications on bathing and personal hygiene. In Roman times, one water change each day was all they thought they needed.
The modern toilet, another staple of modern plumbing systems in the western world, is also derived from ancient times. The western toilet is largely based upon the toilets used in Mohenjo-Darco as long ago as 2800BC. These toilets were made from a wooden seat that was placed on top of a brick pile. In 2800BC only the richest citizens were allowed to use these toilets. It took as long as the middle of the 1800s for the sit down toilet that was so celebrated in ancient Rome to be adopted by western societies.
Once the western world had adopted the sit down toilets and aqueduct structures of the Roman Empire, the plumbing technology surrounding them expanded very quickly. Within one hundred years, plumbing technology and toilets have gone from the aqueducts of the Roman Empire to the modern efficiencies that most citizens in the United Kingdom take for granted these days.
In today's plumbing systems most pipes are kept under the ground and cesspools and open sewage drains have almost been completely eliminated due to environmental and operational considerations. As the western world continues to advance it is highly likely that plumbing and toilet systems will become cleaner and more efficient as well, with further introduction of green technology and improvement in treatment of sewage and contaminated water. - 18098
It was during the Greek and Roman empires that plumbing technology first started to evolve. Basic plumbing systems were invented and installed during these empires' rule to make it easier to carry water to and from the public bathing houses that were so popular. It was this necessity that lead to the invention of the aqueduct during the Roman Empire. The aqueduct was the primary mode of plumbing and water distribution from the Roman Empire until the 1800s.
During ancient times, aqueducts were mostly built out of stone or clay while the pipes leading to and from them were fashioned from lead. Modern plumbing, on the other hand, uses vastly different materials. Today, plastic, steel, brass and copper are widely used for the construction of plumbing systems and pipes. Lead is no longer used because it is highly toxic.
The bath houses that the Romans enjoyed are considered the predecessors of plumbing as it currently exists. Originally, public bathing only occurred while the sun was up because the bath water was only replaced once each day. Remember, it was not until long after the Roman Empire fell that bacterium was discovered and the western world learned how diseases were spread with the obvious implications on bathing and personal hygiene. In Roman times, one water change each day was all they thought they needed.
The modern toilet, another staple of modern plumbing systems in the western world, is also derived from ancient times. The western toilet is largely based upon the toilets used in Mohenjo-Darco as long ago as 2800BC. These toilets were made from a wooden seat that was placed on top of a brick pile. In 2800BC only the richest citizens were allowed to use these toilets. It took as long as the middle of the 1800s for the sit down toilet that was so celebrated in ancient Rome to be adopted by western societies.
Once the western world had adopted the sit down toilets and aqueduct structures of the Roman Empire, the plumbing technology surrounding them expanded very quickly. Within one hundred years, plumbing technology and toilets have gone from the aqueducts of the Roman Empire to the modern efficiencies that most citizens in the United Kingdom take for granted these days.
In today's plumbing systems most pipes are kept under the ground and cesspools and open sewage drains have almost been completely eliminated due to environmental and operational considerations. As the western world continues to advance it is highly likely that plumbing and toilet systems will become cleaner and more efficient as well, with further introduction of green technology and improvement in treatment of sewage and contaminated water. - 18098
About the Author:
Tal Potishman, editor of Heating Central, writes articles about central heating, boilers, Lower Sydenham plumbers, underfloor heating and solar thermal. He specializes in helping save money by advising on efficient heating.
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