Roman Kitchens Had Stone Sinks and Drains
In a Pompeii kitchen, a stone basin sits beneath the window—scored with knife marks and stained by wine. At the bottom, a neat hole leads to a clay pipe, channeling dirty water right into the street.
Unknown — "Marble statuette of a seated philosopher" (1st or 2nd century CE), public domain
Kitchen Sinks—Roman Style
In a Pompeii kitchen, a stone basin sits beneath the window—scored with knife marks and stained by wine. At the bottom, a neat hole leads to a clay pipe, channeling dirty water right into the street.
Built-In Drains and Bronze Strainers
Romans didn’t just dump their dishwater in the yard. Archaeologists have found kitchens in Pompeii fitted with built-in stone sinks and drainage systems. Cooks could rinse, scrub, and drain the mess straight out of the house—sometimes with the help of a bronze strainer, to keep dinner scraps from clogging the line.
Romans didn’t just dump their dishwater in the yard. Archaeologists have found kitchens in Pompeii fitted with built-in stone sinks and drainage systems. Cooks could rinse, scrub, and drain the mess straight out of the house—sometimes with the help of a bronze strainer, to keep dinner scraps from clogging the line.
