V-shaped Pits in Regions of Ancient Baekje Kingdom Paleoparasitologically Confirmed as Likely Human-Waste Reservoirs
Identifieur interne : 000243 ( Pmc/Corpus ); précédent : 000242; suivant : 000244V-shaped Pits in Regions of Ancient Baekje Kingdom Paleoparasitologically Confirmed as Likely Human-Waste Reservoirs
Auteurs : Dong Hoon Shin ; Sang-Yuck Shim ; Myeung Ju Kim ; Chang Seok Oh ; Mi-Hyun Lee ; Suk Bae Jung ; Geon Il Lee ; Jong-Yil Chai ; Min SeoSource :
- The Korean Journal of Parasitology [ 0023-4001 ] ; 2014.
Abstract
In a paleo-parasitological analysis of soil samples obtained from V-shaped pits dating to the ancient Baekje period in Korean history, we discovered
Url:
DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2014.52.5.569
PubMed: 25352710
PubMed Central: 4210744
Links to Exploration step
PMC:4210744Le document en format XML
<record><TEI><teiHeader><fileDesc><titleStmt><title xml:lang="en">V-shaped Pits in Regions of Ancient Baekje Kingdom Paleoparasitologically Confirmed as Likely Human-Waste Reservoirs</title>
<author><name sortKey="Shin, Dong Hoon" sort="Shin, Dong Hoon" uniqKey="Shin D" first="Dong Hoon" last="Shin">Dong Hoon Shin</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A1">Bioanthropology and Paleopathology Lab, Institute of Forensic Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Shim, Sang Yuck" sort="Shim, Sang Yuck" uniqKey="Shim S" first="Sang-Yuck" last="Shim">Sang-Yuck Shim</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A2">Buyeo Cultural Heritage Center, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-802, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Kim, Myeung Ju" sort="Kim, Myeung Ju" uniqKey="Kim M" first="Myeung Ju" last="Kim">Myeung Ju Kim</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A3">Department of Anatomy, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-715, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Oh, Chang Seok" sort="Oh, Chang Seok" uniqKey="Oh C" first="Chang Seok" last="Oh">Chang Seok Oh</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A1">Bioanthropology and Paleopathology Lab, Institute of Forensic Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Lee, Mi Hyun" sort="Lee, Mi Hyun" uniqKey="Lee M" first="Mi-Hyun" last="Lee">Mi-Hyun Lee</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A2">Buyeo Cultural Heritage Center, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-802, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Jung, Suk Bae" sort="Jung, Suk Bae" uniqKey="Jung S" first="Suk Bae" last="Jung">Suk Bae Jung</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A4">Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-812, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Lee, Geon Il" sort="Lee, Geon Il" uniqKey="Lee G" first="Geon Il" last="Lee">Geon Il Lee</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A4">Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-812, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Chai, Jong Yil" sort="Chai, Jong Yil" uniqKey="Chai J" first="Jong-Yil" last="Chai">Jong-Yil Chai</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A5">Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Seo, Min" sort="Seo, Min" uniqKey="Seo M" first="Min" last="Seo">Min Seo</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A6">Department of Parasitology and Research Center for Mummy, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-715, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
</titleStmt>
<publicationStmt><idno type="wicri:source">PMC</idno>
<idno type="pmid">25352710</idno>
<idno type="pmc">4210744</idno>
<idno type="url">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210744</idno>
<idno type="RBID">PMC:4210744</idno>
<idno type="doi">10.3347/kjp.2014.52.5.569</idno>
<date when="2014">2014</date>
<idno type="wicri:Area/Pmc/Corpus">000243</idno>
<idno type="wicri:explorRef" wicri:stream="Pmc" wicri:step="Corpus" wicri:corpus="PMC">000243</idno>
</publicationStmt>
<sourceDesc><biblStruct><analytic><title xml:lang="en" level="a" type="main">V-shaped Pits in Regions of Ancient Baekje Kingdom Paleoparasitologically Confirmed as Likely Human-Waste Reservoirs</title>
<author><name sortKey="Shin, Dong Hoon" sort="Shin, Dong Hoon" uniqKey="Shin D" first="Dong Hoon" last="Shin">Dong Hoon Shin</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A1">Bioanthropology and Paleopathology Lab, Institute of Forensic Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Shim, Sang Yuck" sort="Shim, Sang Yuck" uniqKey="Shim S" first="Sang-Yuck" last="Shim">Sang-Yuck Shim</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A2">Buyeo Cultural Heritage Center, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-802, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Kim, Myeung Ju" sort="Kim, Myeung Ju" uniqKey="Kim M" first="Myeung Ju" last="Kim">Myeung Ju Kim</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A3">Department of Anatomy, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-715, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Oh, Chang Seok" sort="Oh, Chang Seok" uniqKey="Oh C" first="Chang Seok" last="Oh">Chang Seok Oh</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A1">Bioanthropology and Paleopathology Lab, Institute of Forensic Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Lee, Mi Hyun" sort="Lee, Mi Hyun" uniqKey="Lee M" first="Mi-Hyun" last="Lee">Mi-Hyun Lee</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A2">Buyeo Cultural Heritage Center, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-802, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Jung, Suk Bae" sort="Jung, Suk Bae" uniqKey="Jung S" first="Suk Bae" last="Jung">Suk Bae Jung</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A4">Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-812, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Lee, Geon Il" sort="Lee, Geon Il" uniqKey="Lee G" first="Geon Il" last="Lee">Geon Il Lee</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A4">Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-812, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Chai, Jong Yil" sort="Chai, Jong Yil" uniqKey="Chai J" first="Jong-Yil" last="Chai">Jong-Yil Chai</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A5">Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Seo, Min" sort="Seo, Min" uniqKey="Seo M" first="Min" last="Seo">Min Seo</name>
<affiliation><nlm:aff id="A6">Department of Parasitology and Research Center for Mummy, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-715, Korea.</nlm:aff>
</affiliation>
</author>
</analytic>
<series><title level="j">The Korean Journal of Parasitology</title>
<idno type="ISSN">0023-4001</idno>
<idno type="eISSN">1738-0006</idno>
<imprint><date when="2014">2014</date>
</imprint>
</series>
</biblStruct>
</sourceDesc>
</fileDesc>
<profileDesc><textClass></textClass>
</profileDesc>
</teiHeader>
<front><div type="abstract" xml:lang="en"><p>In a paleo-parasitological analysis of soil samples obtained from V-shaped pits dating to the ancient Baekje period in Korean history, we discovered <italic>Ascaris lumbricoides</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris trichiura</italic>
, and <italic>Clonorchis sinensis</italic>
eggs. In light of the samples' seriously contaminated state, the V-shaped pits might have served as toilets, cesspits, or dung heaps. For a long period of time, researchers scouring archaeological sites in Korea have had difficulties locating such structures. In this context then, the present report is unique because similar kind of the ancient ruins must become an ideal resource for successful sampling in our forthcoming paleoparasitological studies.</p>
</div>
</front>
<back><div1 type="bibliography"><listBibl><biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Addyman, Pv" uniqKey="Addyman P">PV Addyman</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Ki, Hc" uniqKey="Ki H">HC Ki</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Bae, Jh" uniqKey="Bae J">JH Bae</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Shin, Dh" uniqKey="Shin D">DH Shin</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Kim, Mj" uniqKey="Kim M">MJ Kim</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Ki, Hc" uniqKey="Ki H">HC Ki</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Kim, S" uniqKey="Kim S">S Kim</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Chai, Jy" uniqKey="Chai J">JY Chai</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Seo, M" uniqKey="Seo M">M Seo</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Oh, Cs" uniqKey="Oh C">CS Oh</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Shin, Dh" uniqKey="Shin D">DH Shin</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Matsui, A" uniqKey="Matsui A">A Matsui</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Kanehara, M" uniqKey="Kanehara M">M Kanehara</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Kanehara, M" uniqKey="Kanehara M">M Kanehara</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct></biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Seo, M" uniqKey="Seo M">M Seo</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Oh, Cs" uniqKey="Oh C">CS Oh</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Chai, Jy" uniqKey="Chai J">JY Chai</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Lee, Sj" uniqKey="Lee S">SJ Lee</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Park, Jb" uniqKey="Park J">JB Park</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Lee, Bh" uniqKey="Lee B">BH Lee</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Park, Jh" uniqKey="Park J">JH Park</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Cho, Gh" uniqKey="Cho G">GH Cho</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Hong, Dw" uniqKey="Hong D">DW Hong</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Park, Hu" uniqKey="Park H">HU Park</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Shin, Dh" uniqKey="Shin D">DH Shin</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Callen, Eo" uniqKey="Callen E">EO Callen</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Cameron, Twm" uniqKey="Cameron T">TWM Cameron</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Criscione, Cd" uniqKey="Criscione C">CD Criscione</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Anderson, Jd" uniqKey="Anderson J">JD Anderson</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Sudimack, D" uniqKey="Sudimack D">D Sudimack</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Peng, W" uniqKey="Peng W">W Peng</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Jha, B" uniqKey="Jha B">B Jha</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Williams Blangero, S" uniqKey="Williams Blangero S">S Williams-Blangero</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Anderson, Tj" uniqKey="Anderson T">TJ Anderson</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Vuorinen, Hs" uniqKey="Vuorinen H">HS Vuorinen</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Vuorinen, Hs" uniqKey="Vuorinen H">HS Vuorinen</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Juuti, Ps" uniqKey="Juuti P">PS Juuti</name>
</author>
<author><name sortKey="Katko, Ts" uniqKey="Katko T">TS Katko</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
<biblStruct><analytic><author><name sortKey="Taylor, C" uniqKey="Taylor C">C Taylor</name>
</author>
</analytic>
</biblStruct>
</listBibl>
</div1>
</back>
</TEI>
<pmc article-type="brief-report"><pmc-dir>properties open_access</pmc-dir>
<front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Korean J Parasitol</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="iso-abbrev">Korean J. Parasitol</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">KJP</journal-id>
<journal-title-group><journal-title>The Korean Journal of Parasitology</journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="ppub">0023-4001</issn>
<issn pub-type="epub">1738-0006</issn>
<publisher><publisher-name>The Korean Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine</publisher-name>
</publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="pmid">25352710</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="pmc">4210744</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.3347/kjp.2014.52.5.569</article-id>
<article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Brief Communication</subject>
</subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group><article-title>V-shaped Pits in Regions of Ancient Baekje Kingdom Paleoparasitologically Confirmed as Likely Human-Waste Reservoirs</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Shin</surname>
<given-names>Dong Hoon</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A1">1</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Shim</surname>
<given-names>Sang-Yuck</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A2">2</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Kim</surname>
<given-names>Myeung Ju</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A3">3</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Oh</surname>
<given-names>Chang Seok</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A1">1</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Lee</surname>
<given-names>Mi-Hyun</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A2">2</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Jung</surname>
<given-names>Suk Bae</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A4">4</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Lee</surname>
<given-names>Geon Il</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A4">4</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><name><surname>Chai</surname>
<given-names>Jong-Yil</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A5">5</xref>
</contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><name><surname>Seo</surname>
<given-names>Min</given-names>
</name>
<xref ref-type="aff" rid="A6">6</xref>
</contrib>
</contrib-group>
<aff id="A1"><label>1</label>
Bioanthropology and Paleopathology Lab, Institute of Forensic Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</aff>
<aff id="A2"><label>2</label>
Buyeo Cultural Heritage Center, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-802, Korea.</aff>
<aff id="A3"><label>3</label>
Department of Anatomy, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-715, Korea.</aff>
<aff id="A4"><label>4</label>
Korea National University of Cultural Heritage, Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 323-812, Korea.</aff>
<aff id="A5"><label>5</label>
Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799, Korea.</aff>
<aff id="A6"><label>6</label>
Department of Parasitology and Research Center for Mummy, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-715, Korea.</aff>
<author-notes><corresp>Corresponding author (<email>bbbenji@naver.com</email>
)
</corresp>
</author-notes>
<pub-date pub-type="ppub"><month>10</month>
<year>2014</year>
</pub-date>
<pub-date pub-type="epub"><day>22</day>
<month>10</month>
<year>2014</year>
</pub-date>
<volume>52</volume>
<issue>5</issue>
<fpage>569</fpage>
<lpage>573</lpage>
<history><date date-type="received"><day>09</day>
<month>1</month>
<year>2014</year>
</date>
<date date-type="rev-recd"><day>14</day>
<month>7</month>
<year>2014</year>
</date>
<date date-type="accepted"><day>16</day>
<month>8</month>
<year>2014</year>
</date>
</history>
<permissions><copyright-statement>© 2014, Korean Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2014</copyright-year>
<license license-type="open-access" xlink:href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/"><license-p>This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (<ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/</ext-link>
) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.</license-p>
</license>
</permissions>
<abstract><p>In a paleo-parasitological analysis of soil samples obtained from V-shaped pits dating to the ancient Baekje period in Korean history, we discovered <italic>Ascaris lumbricoides</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris trichiura</italic>
, and <italic>Clonorchis sinensis</italic>
eggs. In light of the samples' seriously contaminated state, the V-shaped pits might have served as toilets, cesspits, or dung heaps. For a long period of time, researchers scouring archaeological sites in Korea have had difficulties locating such structures. In this context then, the present report is unique because similar kind of the ancient ruins must become an ideal resource for successful sampling in our forthcoming paleoparasitological studies.</p>
</abstract>
<kwd-group><kwd><italic>Ascaris lumbricoides</italic>
</kwd>
<kwd><italic>Trichuris trichiura</italic>
</kwd>
<kwd><italic>Clonorchis sinensis</italic>
</kwd>
<kwd>helminth egg</kwd>
<kwd>paleoparasitology</kwd>
<kwd>Baekje Kingdom</kwd>
<kwd>V-shaped pit</kwd>
</kwd-group>
<funding-group><award-group><funding-source country="KR">National Research Foundation of Korea</funding-source>
<award-id>2013R1A1A2009688</award-id>
</award-group>
</funding-group>
</article-meta>
</front>
<body><p>Effective disposal of human waste undoubtedly was instrumental to the maintenance of public health in pre-modern towns and cities. Archaeologists have shown how in the English city of York, structures such as stone-built sewers were integral to that function [<xref rid="B1" ref-type="bibr">1</xref>
]. Presumably, effective night-soil disposal also was a top priority for contemporaneous East Asian urban dwellers [<xref rid="B2" ref-type="bibr">2</xref>
,<xref rid="B3" ref-type="bibr">3</xref>
]. Whereas ancient-parasite-egg contamination of soil samples taken from sewer- or toilet-like structures might be the effect of some sort of simple diffusion from outside areas, it is actually more probable that those structures had in fact been cesspits or toilets.</p>
<p>In fact, the remnants of some East Asian cesspits already investigated have been confirmed, by the presence of helminth eggs in soil samples, as having been used as human-waste reservoirs [<xref rid="B4" ref-type="bibr">4</xref>
]. In East Asian agrarian societies, fertilizer in the form of night soils periodically carted away from urban sites to surrounding farms was widely used [<xref rid="B2" ref-type="bibr">2</xref>
,<xref rid="B3" ref-type="bibr">3</xref>
,<xref rid="B4" ref-type="bibr">4</xref>
]. In the case of Korea though, there are very few reports on historical structures that could be conjectured to have seen use as toilets or cesspits. This makes information on the sanitary status of pre-modern Korean cities particularly difficult to obtain.</p>
<p>Finally however, in 2004, Korean researchers located presumptive toilet structures amid the royal palace ruins of the ancient Baekje Kingdom (18 BCE-660 CE) (the <italic>Wanggung-ri</italic>
site), from which structures they obtained soil samples found to contain a significant number of ancient helminth eggs (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F1">Fig. 1</xref>
) [<xref rid="B5" ref-type="bibr">5</xref>
]. This discovery has served to intensify the academic controversy surrounding the identification of toilets and cesspits and their probable uses in historical Korean towns and cities. In any case, it is certain that structures confirmed to have been cesspits and toilets undoubtedly will prove, and are proving to be, ideal resources for paleoparasitological studies [<xref rid="B6" ref-type="bibr">6</xref>
]. In this light, it is expected that our current cases also will be meaningful to Korean paleoparasitologists and their investigations.</p>
<p>In a recent archaeological study on Buyeo, the capital of the ancient Baekje Kingdom, we found candidate cesspit and toilet ruins that yielded many soil-transmitted helminth eggs. We believe that our investigation likely will prove to be significantly revelatory on the use and maintenance of toilets and cesspits in ancient Korean towns or cities. On that basis, we will report herewith.</p>
<p>The soil samples (n=57) examined in this paleoparasitological study were collected from geological strata at archaeological sites (Gua-ri 319 and Gatap-ri, Dusireoggol remains) in Buyeo, the capital of the ancient Baekje Kingdom (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F1">Fig. 1</xref>
). The strata were dated to the Sabi period (6th-7th century CE). At this time, Gua-ri 319 was centrally located in a residential area of Buyeo marked by puddles and ditches. Owing to the low and moist topography there, many wooden relics could be excavated. At Gatap-ri, the Dusireoggol remains, remnants of residential areas, roads, and water-catchment facilities were excavated (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F2">Fig. 2</xref>
). The number of eggs per g of feces (EPG) was calculated by multiplying 10 times to the average number of eggs counted in soil samples considering that 10 g of soils were dissolved in 20 ml of 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution per each sample. An overall data summary is provided in <xref ref-type="table" rid="T1">Table 1</xref>
.</p>
<p>At Gua-ri 319, we collected samples (n=56) at 5 different points, some of which were inside of a V-shaped pit. At Gatap-ri, only 1 sample was obtained from a V-shaped pit. The samples were taken using conical tubes (Falcon Plastics, Los Angeles, California, USA) driven into the soil strata. Surface-soil samples for use as negative controls also were taken.</p>
<p>Back at our laboratory, a contamination-minimization protocol entailing the wearing sterilized gloves, head caps, and masks was followed. The samples were re-hydrated in 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution [<xref rid="B7" ref-type="bibr">7</xref>
,<xref rid="B8" ref-type="bibr">8</xref>
] and observed in 10 µl quantities 20 times (total per sample: 200 µl) under light-microscopy (Olympus, Tokyo, Japan). Egg-size measurements were taken from 10 eggs, and the number of helminth eggs per gram (EPG) was estimated. Since 10 g of soil was dissolved in 20 ml of 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution per sample, the EPG was calculated by dividing the average number of eggs counted in each sample by 10.</p>
<p>Among the Gua-ri 319 samples, eggs were found only in those taken from the V-shaped pit (area XII; no eggs were found in areas XI, XVI, V, or IX). Their morphologies and sizes, typical of <italic>Ascaris lumbricoides</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris trichiura</italic>
, and <italic>Clonorchis sinensis</italic>
, respectively, identified them as such. Significantly, the egg-bearing samples representing the Gatap-ri site, in the same Buyeo area, also were obtained from a V-shaped pit, and the species were the same; <italic>A. lumbricoides</italic>
, <italic>T. trichiura</italic>
, and <italic>C. sinensis</italic>
(<xref ref-type="fig" rid="F3">Fig. 3</xref>
). The average egg dimensions and EPG for each site's samples are summarized in <xref ref-type="table" rid="T2">Table 2</xref>
.</p>
<p>A previous series of paleoparasitological studies showed how historical high-population-density towns and cities in East Asia removed human waste. For each spatial and temporal span of historical development, the pattern of night-soil removal appeared to differ [<xref rid="B2" ref-type="bibr">2</xref>
,<xref rid="B3" ref-type="bibr">3</xref>
,<xref rid="B5" ref-type="bibr">5</xref>
]. In another study, paleoparasitologists investigating the Neolithic Jomon period in Japan found many human coprolites in a shell midden, indicating that those pre-agrarian people used that site and others like it as toilets, dung heaps, or night-soil reservoirs [<xref rid="B4" ref-type="bibr">4</xref>
]. In time though, the use of toilets, even flushing toilets, came to predominate in East Asia as in other areas of the ancient civilized world [<xref rid="B9" ref-type="bibr">9</xref>
,<xref rid="B10" ref-type="bibr">10</xref>
], as confirmed by archaeological investigations [<xref rid="B4" ref-type="bibr">4</xref>
]. Besides flushing toilets, a tradition of cesspit toilets was also developed in East Asia. Cesspit toilets served farmers as reservoirs for the night soils they commonly utilized as a fertilizer. Once the cesspits became full, their contents were carried away to nearby farmlands. In fact, the use of cesspit toilets in a traditional Japanese society has been verified by archaeological investigations [<xref rid="B4" ref-type="bibr">4</xref>
].</p>
<p>Meanwhile, similar reports on human-waste reservoirs in Korea have been few. However, in 2004, as noted above, Korean researchers finally found toilet-like structures at the Wanggung-ri site, the location of the ruins of the Baekje Kingdom's Royal Palace. One such presumptive toilet was a 10.8 m (length)×1.8 m (width)×3.4 m (depth) pit. Also evident, significantly, was a sewage canal connecting the toilets to the Royal Palace perimeter grounds [<xref rid="B5" ref-type="bibr">5</xref>
]. Parasitological examinations of sediments sampled from those structures, in this seminal Korean paleoparasitological investigations, revealed many <italic>Ascaris</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris</italic>
, and <italic>Clonorchis</italic>
eggs.</p>
<p>In much the same way, the current study also could prove to be very meaningful to concerned researchers. We discovered many of the same species (<italic>Ascaris</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris</italic>
, and <italic>Clonorchis</italic>
) of helminth eggs in soil samples obtained from the V-shaped pits unearthed at the Gua-ri and Gatap-ri sites in Buyeo. Unfortunately, however, final determination of their exact purpose must remain unconfirmed for now, pending the accumulation of more information, historical and otherwise, on ancient Korean towns and cities. Historical studies from other countries, however, are suggestive. In both ancient Rome and medieval London, for example, there were a number of latrines, cesspits, dung heaps and gutters wherein human waste was accumulated [<xref rid="B11" ref-type="bibr">11</xref>
]. Likewise, it is entirely possible that the V-shaped pits investigated in the present study were used as cesspits, reservoirs, or dung heaps for the night soils of the Baekje people. We note that even in this politico-cultural center of that ancient Korean kingdom, there might well have been many such structures.</p>
<p>Our study established the presence of ancient helminth eggs (<italic>A. lumbricoides</italic>
, <italic>T. trichiura</italic>
, and <italic>C. sinensis</italic>
) in soil samples obtained from V-shaped pits in Buyeo, the capital of the ancient Baekje Kingdom. Our overall results indicate that these pits might have been used as human-waste reservoirs. Whereas this is indeed a significant finding, we must also admit that the number of cesspits or toilets reported thus far for historical Korean towns or cities remains very small. Identifying and studying additional archaeological structures that once functioned as toilets or cesspits in historical Korean towns and cities, particularly those representing a variety of temporal and spatial ranges undoubtedly will facilitate the locating and collecting of ideal paleoparasitological samples.</p>
</body>
<back><ack><title>ACKNOWLEDGMENTS</title>
<p>This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (no. 2013R1A1A2009688). SYS and MHL worked for Guari-319 site; GIL and SBJ worked for Gatap-ri as archaeologists. MJK and CSO worked for sampling in the fields; MS, JYC and DHS did parasitological examinations and paper writing.</p>
</ack>
<fn-group><fn fn-type="conflict"><p>We have no conflict of interest related to this work.</p>
</fn>
</fn-group>
<ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Addyman</surname>
<given-names>PV</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>The archaeology of public health at York, England</article-title>
<source>World Archaeol</source>
<year>1989</year>
<volume>21</volume>
<fpage>244</fpage>
<lpage>264</lpage>
<pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">16470998</pub-id>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B2"><label>2</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Ki</surname>
<given-names>HC</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Bae</surname>
<given-names>JH</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Shin</surname>
<given-names>DH</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>Historical study on factors inducing soil-transmitted helminth infection among people of old Seoul City during Joseon Dynasty</article-title>
<source>Korean J Med Hist</source>
<year>2013</year>
<volume>22</volume>
<fpage>89</fpage>
<lpage>132</lpage>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B3"><label>3</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Kim</surname>
<given-names>MJ</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Ki</surname>
<given-names>HC</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Kim</surname>
<given-names>S</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Chai</surname>
<given-names>JY</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Seo</surname>
<given-names>M</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Oh</surname>
<given-names>CS</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Shin</surname>
<given-names>DH</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>Parasitic infection patterns as correlated with urban-rural recycling of night soils in Korea and other East Asian countries: the archaeological and historical evidence</article-title>
<source>Korean Stud</source>
<year>2014</year>
<comment>(in press)</comment>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B4"><label>4</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Matsui</surname>
<given-names>A</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Kanehara</surname>
<given-names>M</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Kanehara</surname>
<given-names>M</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>Palaeoparasitology in Japan-discovery of toilet features</article-title>
<source>Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz</source>
<year>2003</year>
<volume>98</volume>
<issue>Suppl 1</issue>
<fpage>127</fpage>
<lpage>136</lpage>
<pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">12687772</pub-id>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B5"><label>5</label>
<element-citation publication-type="book"><collab>Buyeo National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage</collab>
<source>The Achievement and Significance of Excavation on the Wanggungni Site in Iksan, Buyeo</source>
<year>2009</year>
<comment>(a monograph)</comment>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B6"><label>6</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Seo</surname>
<given-names>M</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Oh</surname>
<given-names>CS</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Chai</surname>
<given-names>JY</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Lee</surname>
<given-names>SJ</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Park</surname>
<given-names>JB</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Lee</surname>
<given-names>BH</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Park</surname>
<given-names>JH</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Cho</surname>
<given-names>GH</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Hong</surname>
<given-names>DW</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Park</surname>
<given-names>HU</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Shin</surname>
<given-names>DH</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>The influence of differential burial preservation on the recovery of helminth eggs in soil samples from Korean medieval tombs</article-title>
<source>J Parasitol</source>
<year>2010</year>
<volume>96</volume>
<fpage>366</fpage>
<lpage>370</lpage>
<pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">19954260</pub-id>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B7"><label>7</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Callen</surname>
<given-names>EO</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Cameron</surname>
<given-names>TWM</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>A prehistoric diet as revealed in coprolites</article-title>
<source>New Scientist</source>
<year>1960</year>
<volume>8</volume>
<fpage>35</fpage>
<lpage>40</lpage>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B8"><label>8</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Criscione</surname>
<given-names>CD</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Anderson</surname>
<given-names>JD</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Sudimack</surname>
<given-names>D</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Peng</surname>
<given-names>W</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Jha</surname>
<given-names>B</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Williams-Blangero</surname>
<given-names>S</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Anderson</surname>
<given-names>TJ</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>Disentangling hybridization and host colonization in parasitic roundworms of humans and pigs</article-title>
<source>Proc Biol Sci</source>
<year>2007</year>
<volume>274</volume>
<fpage>2669</fpage>
<lpage>2677</lpage>
<pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">17725977</pub-id>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B9"><label>9</label>
<element-citation publication-type="confproc"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Vuorinen</surname>
<given-names>HS</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<source>Toilets and health throughout history</source>
<conf-name>The 3rd International Dry Toilet Conference</conf-name>
<conf-loc>Tampere, Finland</conf-loc>
<year>2009</year>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B10"><label>10</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Vuorinen</surname>
<given-names>HS</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Juuti</surname>
<given-names>PS</given-names>
</name>
<name><surname>Katko</surname>
<given-names>TS</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>History of water and health from ancient civilization to modern times</article-title>
<source>Water Sci Technol</source>
<year>2007</year>
<volume>7</volume>
<fpage>49</fpage>
<lpage>57</lpage>
</element-citation>
</ref>
<ref id="B11"><label>11</label>
<element-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Taylor</surname>
<given-names>C</given-names>
</name>
</person-group>
<article-title>The disposal of human waste: a comparison between Ancient Rome and Medieval London</article-title>
<source>Past Imperfect</source>
<year>2005</year>
<volume>11</volume>
<fpage>53</fpage>
<lpage>72</lpage>
</element-citation>
</ref>
</ref-list>
</back>
<floats-group><fig id="F1" orientation="portrait" position="float"><label>Fig. 1</label>
<caption><p>(A) Ancient Korean kingdoms (Goguryo, Silla, and Baekje). (B) Magnified image of green rectangle area. a, Gua-ri; b, Gatap-ri. In both sites of 'a' and 'b', the toilets or cesspits could be identified by paleoparasitological examinations.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="kjp-52-569-g001"></graphic>
</fig>
<fig id="F2" orientation="portrait" position="float"><label>Fig. 2</label>
<caption><p>(A) A photograph of Gua-ri 319 remains. Helminth eggs were recovered from the construct XII (arrow). (B) An aerial photograph on the Dusireoggol remains, Gatap-ri. BD, building; R, residential area; W, water collecting facility; RD, road. The helminth eggs were recovered from the construct suspected as the toilet (arrow).</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="kjp-52-569-g002"></graphic>
</fig>
<fig id="F3" orientation="portrait" position="float"><label>Fig. 3</label>
<caption><p>Helminth egg discovery in the samples from Gua-ri (A) and Gatap-ri (B) sites in Buyeo. (A) Gua-ri site, the construct XII. V-shaped pit could be identified. Sampling points are marked by dots. In every sample examined, <italic>Ascaris</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris</italic>
, or <italic>Clonorchis</italic>
eggs were discovered. (B) In Gatap-ri site, V-shaped pit was also discovered. The sampling point is marked by red dot. We also discovered <italic>Ascaris</italic>
, <italic>Trichuris</italic>
, and <italic>Clonorchis</italic>
eggs. Scale bars in each egg plate=20 µm.</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="kjp-52-569-g003"></graphic>
</fig>
<table-wrap id="T1" orientation="portrait" position="float"><label>Table 1</label>
<caption><p>V-shaped pit examined by paleoparasitological technique</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="kjp-52-569-i001"></graphic>
</table-wrap>
<table-wrap id="T2" orientation="portrait" position="float"><label>Table 2</label>
<caption><p>Informations on ancient parasite positive samples</p>
</caption>
<graphic xlink:href="kjp-52-569-i002"></graphic>
<table-wrap-foot><fn><p><sup>a</sup>
The average size was calculated on 10 eggs so far as circumstances permit.</p>
<p><sup>b</sup>
EPG was calculated by multiplying 10 times to the average number of eggs counted in soil samples considering that 10 g of soils were dissolved in 20 ml of 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution per each sample.</p>
<p><sup>c</sup>
Only 1 egg of <italic>C. sinensis</italic>
was recovered from this sample.</p>
</fn>
</table-wrap-foot>
</table-wrap>
</floats-group>
</pmc>
</record>
Pour manipuler ce document sous Unix (Dilib)
EXPLOR_STEP=$WICRI_ROOT/Wicri/Archeologie/explor/PaleopathV1/Data/Pmc/Corpus
HfdSelect -h $EXPLOR_STEP/biblio.hfd -nk 000243 | SxmlIndent | more
Ou
HfdSelect -h $EXPLOR_AREA/Data/Pmc/Corpus/biblio.hfd -nk 000243 | SxmlIndent | more
Pour mettre un lien sur cette page dans le réseau Wicri
{{Explor lien |wiki= Wicri/Archeologie |area= PaleopathV1 |flux= Pmc |étape= Corpus |type= RBID |clé= PMC:4210744 |texte= V-shaped Pits in Regions of Ancient Baekje Kingdom Paleoparasitologically Confirmed as Likely Human-Waste Reservoirs }}
Pour générer des pages wiki
HfdIndexSelect -h $EXPLOR_AREA/Data/Pmc/Corpus/RBID.i -Sk "pubmed:25352710" \ | HfdSelect -Kh $EXPLOR_AREA/Data/Pmc/Corpus/biblio.hfd \ | NlmPubMed2Wicri -a PaleopathV1
![]() | This area was generated with Dilib version V0.6.27. | ![]() |