I've been researching how ancient civilizations cleaned their butts after pooping (I'm writing a book!) and y'all, the Ancient Greeks were SUPER punk rock. They used bits of broken ceramic like a scoop (don't worry - the edges were smoothed out) and sometimes THE BITS OF POTTERY WERE INSCRIBED WITH THE NAMES OF THEIR ENEMIES.

They literally wiped their butts with their enemies' names. I am in awe.

https://daily.jstor.org/this-is-how-they-wiped-themselves-in-ancient-rome/#:~:text=Ancient%20Greeks%20exiled%20their%20enemies,%2C%E2%80%9D%20it%20was%20a%20curse.

@everywhereist
So sort of a dual-purpose ceramics function! Very efficient to think of that.

Are you aware of the medieval Japanese thing where they used balls of clay? I can provide info if needed.

@AndyLowry Hadn't seen that one!

@everywhereist
In the first half of the 13th century, the Soto Zen master Dōgen wrote instructions on bathing and cleanliness for his monks. The text is in chapter 7 of his masterwork Shobogenzo. He's very specific about how many balls to prepare and use. A good free translation can be had here if you'd like to look at it:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Pq2MCIiUnLUZepRE0OLs1ptkCCWziq6c/view

That translation is broken into four volumes, and this first volume contains fascicle 7, which starts on page 47.

@AndyLowry I love this website.