Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/02/09/the-real-reason-why-outhouses.html
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I highly recommend the other channel by the same team, Biographics.
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Yep, I grew up using out of doors plumbing, not fond memories at negative temps in the dead of Winter.
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Experienced some of that myself. Nighttime potty in the winter? NO FUN!
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Is it some reference to that building containing nightsoil?
Gongfarmers unite!
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TLDR for those of us who aren’t able to watch a video right now?
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My guess is something to do with not sitting in the dynamite shack by accident, but I’m waiting to hear …
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I think there is a convergence of two simple explanations here. I suspect it’s really quite simple:
Small openings like heart shapes, star shapes (which are also seen occasionally), or a simple hole, are not very good for ventilation or lighting, however a larger opening does not give much privacy. The narrow crescent shape is a good compromise; it affords a reasonable area for ventilation in a narrow profile, discouraging peeking from curious folks queueing outside.
Secondly, in common with other plank-wood buildings like garden sheds, the doors are planked vertically. Larger shapes therefore will cut through multiple planks, Compromising the stability of the door. A narrow crescent shape, if not too tilted, will only bridge two planks, keeping the door structurally stable.
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Nope. References “The Jewish War” by Flavius Josephus, from 80 CE.
Apparently a Roman soldier mooned and farted at a crowd of Jews near the Temple in Jerusalem. This caused a lot of upset, calls to Ventidius Cumanus (the procurator of Judea at the time) to punish the solder, all while Jewish youths started to throw stones at the soldiers. Cumanus responded by summoning more soldiers to clear the Temple. This resulted in the trampling deaths of 10,000 people.
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In before any reference to the distinguished gentleman, Mr. Seymour Butts.
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Ha, thus the “It’s only #1, I’m just going to pee off the back porch” approach.
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The crescent adds bottom to the timbre, like the f-hole in a violin.
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aaaaaaaa…if you don’t actually know, it is perfectly okay to say i don;t know"…
OR
You can advertise / make an almost 14 minute video that NEVER ACTUALLY SAYS ANYTHING BUT WE DON’T REALLY KNOW
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Cutting a full moon in the door might seems obscene if not lacking in privacy.
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I’d love to know the answer but I hate watching videos.
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The summary is, we don’t know and probably never will for certain, but there’s not much evidence it was a common trope before the 1960s, where it started appearing mostly in comics and that sort of thing.
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As soon as comics were mentioned, I immediately thought of Lil’ Abner. I’m sure this strip from 1952 helped popularize the idea:
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Thanks. It’s one of those things that grabs your curiosity, but I honestly couldn’t be arsed to sit through the entire video to get to the juicy bits.
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That’s the version I heard years ago - the crescent moon on the outhouse was invented by Al Capp for “Li’l Abner” and became an early meme.
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Dynamite shack?
Not heard that one. Thunder box, sh’ouse, or more commonly The Dunny.
Australian curse: “May your Chooks (chickens) turn into Emus and kick your dunny door down”.
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